Sorceress Zell
by Delta Immortal
Summary: Adel gave Zell his powers when he died, and now Zell's a sorceress! Seifer agrees to be his knight, but there's something neither of them expected: Adel's alive, and after Zell. Yaoi.
1. Prolouge

Sorceress Zell, By Delta immortal

Warnings and Author's notes: This is the official block of words. I do not own Zell, Seifer, Odine, Adel.

In this ficcie ADEL IS A MAN! And I think he very well could be in the game- I didn't see boobs anywhere on him/her though the dress seemed to be designed that way. (as if he had them). Besides, a "sorceress" is someone with the sorceress power, so men are included.

I was tired of reading fics that promised Seifer x Sorceress Zell and never finished, so I decided to try, and it is finished. Zell doesn't really have a fun time, but then again, he never does in my fiction, so no surprises there.

There is cross-dressing (lots of it! -!) and yaoi and fun, hyper-active drugs that make people super horny. Whoo. I think that sums it up. Zell is a little sorceress, and so he wears a dress most of the time. I'd love to see Zell in a dress. giggles uncharacteristically

Spoilers: Hope you played the game, kids.

Pairings: I'm going to warn you, they're pretty disturbing. Except my normal writings about.

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Introduction

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The last blow was struck and Adel faltered, looking at his blood dripping into his hand from his head. Squall was pulling Rinoa out of the Sorceress's guts, trying to save his love. The fight had been fought mainly by Zell and Irvine- Squall had tried with the gunblade and nicked Rinoa instead. Squall then stuck to casting magic, which had helped a great deal. Adel fell to the ground, weakened, dying.

Zell gave a kick in the air for emphasis. "How is she, Squall?" he asked, and Squall didn't respond, happy to have his love back in his arms safely. Irvine tipped his hat and turned to go. Zell was just about to follow suit when the sparkling lights from above trickled down, enveloping the dying sorceress.

Adel looked up at Zell, a sneer forming on her face, worse than anything Seifer had given him. The bloodied hand threw itself out at him. Zell was aware of the light going to him instead, and gave a yell.

"Hey!" Zell cried out, aware he could no longer move. The light got brighter and he felt… power, he supposed, power flowing into him. There were words, too. _Only a fourth of what she was…and you are part her, then, and all me._ Zell shook, shaking his head. He didn't understand. The light died down and with it, Zell collapsed. His body was screaming but he was awake, pale and looked at the Sorceress as she fell into tiny pieces, her eyes gloating.

"Zell!" Irvine yelled, rushing up to him. Rinoa had tried to get to Zell's side, but she was still weakened. Squall caught her as she cast a curaga on herself. "Zell, what happened?" he asked.

Irvine helped Zell up, something Zell wasn't thrilled about completely. However, Zell was too weak to care or notice Irvine casting scan. "You…seem okay," Irvine stated finally. "Better than usual, even."

Zell nodded, standing up and falling down again. His head was on fire, pulse beating harshly and he then lay there, trembling. "I'll be…" a spasm. "Fine."

Rinoa swallowed, moving over to him. "What spell was that?" she wondered, casting a curaga. Zell's body absorbed the spell but there was no feeling better, this thing wasn't ending. Zell blacked out and welcomed the darkness.

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"Where?" Zell asked, and there was a finger to his lips. "Shh. Your friends are waiting, little one."

Zell's eyes opened and they fell into time compression.

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Yippee! Another chapter story! I hope the two I'm working on won't get in the way of each other. They're on paper, you see, and I'm a little behind when it comes to typing them up, but today was a sick day, so that means-

Typity Typity Typity.

I believe this trick is used by many, many efficient authors on FF. net, and possibly on other places to.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this.


	2. Chapter 1

Warnings: Yaoi, or at least, attempted Yaoi in this chapter. Yay horny potions! (that's my nickname for them.)

Disclaimer: Don't own any characters, even the flunkies. They randomly appear in the game as guards or assistants or even monsters and if you talk to them 2,306 times (or devour them 4,028 times), they'll tell you about how Odine wants to get in Zell's pants.

Chapter one: Little faith

Seifer glared out his window as a scream decided to flow through it like lightning. Angrily, he stomped over to the window. For such a high-tech city, the crime rate was all over. Whoever was screaming had interrupted his recording of monsters killed today and his thoughts had slipped. As he opened the window to let them know what he thought of them, he noted the woman was in his alley, which made sense when it came the loudness. The woman was wearing some kind of evening dress and in hysterics.

"Somebody help me!" The woman cried again, but this time it seemed lower than a woman's; or at least wasn't husky the way a normal woman's would be at that particular pitch. A van pulled up with Odine's logo on the side and Seifer inhaled. A sorceress. If Odine was chasing a sorceress, experimentation was going on, and he knew what horrors this one would go through.

He slipped out his window, gunblade in hand. The sorceress cried out as the two men from the van emerged and hit her with a spell. She fell to the ground, trying to get up, but could not succeed.

"Come now, Hyne's descendant. Dr. Odine is most furious with you." Seifer slipped silently down a flight of emergency stairs, watching. The woman was blonde. Heh, just like him.

"I'm not going back to that monster!" She yelled, and suddenly she sounded familiar. But in the end, Seifer couldn't place it so he decided to save the lady after all.

The other goon spoke. "Please cooperate, Hyne's descendent," he stated, leveling a gun.

Well, this was a sorceress in need if he ever saw one. Seifer was still a sucker for an old dream- besides, at least she wasn't in a position to "influence his mind greatly". Even better, it was a chance to show he was competent.

He jumped the rest of the distance down, gunblade knocking out the gun quickly. The sorceress jumped back from surprise. The men backed up.

"This is not your business," one stated. "Please leave."

"This is official business," the other added.

"Black-market!" The sorceress yelled. "Please help me," she added to Seifer. She tried to sit up and Seifer turned.

He didn't expect it to be Zell, of anybody. Zell was in a dress, hair down and weak, Odine Bangles and Suppress Armlets were around his arms for the entire length of them. A black dress encased his weakened form with a choker. Zell's tattoo seemed almost half-there, and Seifer realized it was cover-up. Zell was in a mess, that was for sure, and his usual cold self emerged.

Zell stopped suddenly, realizing it really was Seifer. Seifer spoke before he did, though. "Nice getup, Chicken-wuss, but I'm not stupid. You aren't a sorceress." Angrily, he placed the point of the blade under Zell's chin. "Though you look pretty in a dress. Fancy throwing a tea-party?" Did Zell think he could fool Seifer? Huh? Lure the ex-Knight into the open, and then attack him?

The guards behind him seemed wary, but stayed back. As long as this man neither helped nor hurt their sorceress, they would yield.

Zell's eyes suddenly spilled tears and Seifer was taken aback. Zell got angry, Zell lost his temper. This was not Zell. Not the Zell he grew up with.

Zell's eyes shut, ashamed to let Seifer see him cry. "Just go, Seifer. They win." With this, the guards moved and Seifer lower his gunblade. They gruffly hauled Zell to his feet, poking him with a syringe and hauling the exhausted body into the back of the van like a doll. The lights turned on and the van sped away.

Seifer watched them go, sickeningly feeling that he had been wrong.

If it had been a set-up, like he assumed, Zell would have blurted it out or gotten angry with him for figuring it out. But Zell had just…cried.

Seifer shook his head. It didn't matter. Zell wasn't a part of his life now, he wasn't going to be. Zell wasn't a sorceress, he reminded himself, they could only be men.

"Adel," he realized and ran to the edge of the street. The van was gone.

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"Naughty, naughty, naughty boy!" Odine yelled, slapping Zell across the face. "Thiz iz the third time in weekz!"

Zell would have responded, but Odine had added several more bangles and blinking was difficult now, let alone speaking. It didn't matter now, anyway. When Odine threw fits like this Zell really didn't get anything said.

They were in the cargo room, the only place Odine could hide the massive body of Adel and not get caught by Estarian police. In fact, Zell was often forced down here more than once.

"How am I zuppouze to revive her, if you are not here?" Odine pointed to the dead body of Adel, who lay silently, but sealed yet again. Zell could feel magical energy radiating from it. Odine sighed loudly. "I will tie you up, then." He chuckled. "Iz good to zee you like to run, pretty boy." Odine brushed Zell's hair from his face. "We like zat, zhe and I. Zpunk." (1)

Odine kissed Zell lightly on the forehead before leaving.

Zell shivered as everyone left, save one guard who undid his choker and ran like a crazy person. It was time to "talk" to Adel. Odine was convinced Zell would provide company for the lonely corpse in case she was brought back to life. The choker, the strongest bangle on him, fell to the floor as soon as the door clamped shut. Zell could talk again.

Odine couldn't here what was being said, but he could see if Zell was talking, so Zell started before the walls revealed "nazty playthingz," as Odine liked to call them.

"I hate you," Zell began, sitting down. "First your war takes away my parents and then you give me your Powers." Zell shook his head. "I don't want them." He glared at the corpse as if it could feel hurt. "You knew this would happen, that Odine would build another body and your mind would be restored, so you handed off your powers. I don't want to be 'with' you, either." There were chills as he remembered Odine talking about it one. "Odine is scary enough." His mind started crying inside and he tried to think of something else, not the odd acts of perversion he was forced into every night, not the fact that Odine wouldn't take it "too far" in case Adel would want him for himself. He couldn't-

What would Seifer say about that? What a weak little Chicken-wuss.

"He used to tease me," he started. "Used to call me a crybaby, said I'd be no better than a girl. He said I'd like guys and be weird. Then he called me a wuss and then inkface and then a chicken." Zell swallowed. "But he is sexy, you know? If I didn't loathe him I'd look twice." Zell gave a humorless laugh. "That's another reason why I don't like you. Sorry, but women are nice and all, but they aren't my type." Sighing, Zell placed his hands in his head. Only his Ma knew that. Where was she?

"An' Squall thinks I'm just doing my mission, but he isn't sure what I'm doing and I don't need him, I don't need Seifer, I don't need anybody!" He slammed his fist into a crate.

He swallowed, looking at his hand. "I sound like you," he murmured.

The doors opened and Odine entered, picking up the collar. "Goodnight kizz, pretty. Zen to your room." Zell felt the collar being placed back on his neck and some bangles from his arms taken off. He moved over to the medical unit hooked up to the corpse and tried not to look. Had Adel been a man, he would have been quite handsome.

Lips met briefly and Zell closed his eyes. This could be Seifer, like this. Quiet. Sleeping, maybe.

Beeping started immediately and he pulled back, his eyes meeting red ones. He gasped and a hand met his, taking his in its grip.

"Zhe'z alive!" Odine shouted, dancing happily. "My zorcerezz, zhe'z alive!"

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Adel hadn't made any other movement for that night, so Zell had been allowed to sleep. His room was basically a nice bed and a little make-up counter, plus dresses. He'd kill for his gloves about now, and he just pulled back the covers and drifted into sleep.

He was awakened by a bright light. While he was upset by this rude awakening, as most people are, he said nothing. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence.

The dream had been however. With Seifer's hands and lips and eyes and arms and ahem, he remembered.

Odine stood in front of him, a bottle of something in one hand. Zell scooted back, but Odine caught his arm. "Ah-ah. Ziz will work. Zhe made Ziz one by herzelf."

Zell struggled, wishing he could take those stupid bangles off and punch Odine for what he was worth. "No!" he yelled, and Odine pressed the bottle to his lips, hitting Zell's chest to force him to drink part of the bottle. Zell's eyes closed and he drank some. Odine removed the bottle and Zell spit as much as he could in Odine's face.

Odine chuckled, wiping his face with Zell's blanket. "Zpunk." He stated again. He pulled Zell into his lap, comical because Odine seemed to be the only person shorter than Zell. "Do you remember ze Lunatic Pandora?" he asked.

Zell shook his head, trying to fight off the effects of the potion. His skin was starting to feel tingly, a sign the potion was in effect. Again.

"You were zo angry, but I waz zo happy. I had a pretty boy to tell my ztoriez to…"

Zell's breathing got heavier as Odine reached for the end of the dress. His face was flushed now, he knew, and Odine chucked. "Yez."

There was a sudden thunk and Zell looked up to see Seifer standing over him, a look of horror on his face. It was a kind of cute expression, Zell thought playfully.

Seifer was not aware of Zell's drugged state or he wouldn't have taken Zell's hand. "Let's get out of here, huh?" he asked. Zell's heart jumped at the human contact and nodded vigorously, thinking dirty thoughts as they slipped out the door and made it to the disk ways outside the lab.

Seifer clambered onto the disk, motioning for Zell to sit next to him. He did and the disk lifted up, zooming into places that Seifer really couldn't see anymore, though the city was all lit up at night.

Zell was really close, Seifer noted, trying to move over so Zell could get the space he needed. That seemed to encourage Zell, and Zell moved over next to him. They managed to circle the disk a total of five times before the two arrived at their stop. Seifer took Zell again by hand to his apartment and by this time, Zell just wanted to come for whoever was there. Playtime was finished, his body told him. Fuck. Now.

"What did he do, Zell?" Seifer asked, turning just in time to watch Zell pin him down and start kissing him. Those kisses felt _good_, his mind informed him. Then Zell moved to his mouth and Zell tasted really good, though Zell felt desperate. Eventually, Zell decided he needed air and whispered, once he had it, "Make me come, Seifer. Please."

Seifer's mind went blank, though a flushed sort of blank. Soon it clicked- Zell had been drugged and he scooted up. "No, Zell."

Zell whined a high-pitched whine, trying to rub through his dress on Seifer's hips. "Please?"

_Say yes!_ his mind told him, but his mouth was on his logical side. "No, Zell. It's the potion. You don't even know if it'll wear off after you come." He stood up, much to Zell's dismay.

"It does," Zell stated, trying to grab Seifer as the taller blonde danced out of the way.

Seifer's eyes grew sadder for a moment. He sat on the sofa, sighing. "Come here, Zell."

Zell was there in an instant, pressed way to close and far too hard. "Yes?" he asked. Seifer too his arm and looked at the bangles. Without a word he forced bangles apart, leaving a bangle pile as he pulled them off. Then he took the others off the left, trying not to look at Zell's flushed face.

Zell felt his power flare forth and he surged backward, blacking out.

Seifer picked him up and took him to the bed. Zell's sorceress power would take care of the potion, he knew. So, Zell really was a sorceress. He gave a smile as he lay Zell down in bed. Silently, he retraced Zell's lips on his own. Giving in, he kissed Zell again.

Now he could finish his stupid report in peace.

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More kissing next chappie. Whoo! Please let me know if I should continue. Please don't flame me, because that doesn't help, and it just makes you look like an idiot. Really, come on, all the authors do is laugh at them, (those of us that have no emotion, anyway.)

Oh, yes… (1) .. Spunk. I just replaced most "TH" with "Z" and all the "S"s with "Z". If you're having problems, just replace the z's with s's. Isn't Odine evil?


	3. Chapter 2

Hey, thank you very much for the reviews! I think now I'll have to set deadlines for this fic, because there are a lot of chapters and I can't hold out for reviews to post another one. (Yeah, now you all know my secret.) Instead, I may update on Fridays and another day in the week, but please don't quote me on that.

Here's the second chappy, it's nine pages long without the paragraph spaces. (gasp!) Didn't mean for it to be so long, but… well… the original story just had breaks, no chapters. Rather than you get a paragraph, I looked for a good place to end, and it just got to be longer and longer and longer…

There it is.

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Chapter two

Zell awoke, aware of a power all around him, a freedom he hadn't felt since Odine had "kidnapped" him. He relished in it for a second, letting the power engulf him before realizing he was still in his dress. Glaring, he also noted he wasn't in his room, and the armlets were off. Upsetting also was the bed he was in, with a solid-color quilt and a non-matching color of sheet. The bed was warm, and he snuggled into it- and hit another person.

Seifer was sleeping next to him.

Zell blushed, remembering the night. "Thank you," he whispered, pushing Seifer's hair behind his ear. Seifer looked… beautiful. Seifer was also nice, Zell stated, blushing as all the attempts he made to get in Seifer's pants came back to him.

Seifer had rescued him, Zell remembered happily, and he snuggled into the warmth Seifer provided. Seifer's eyes opened. "Zell?"

"Thank you, Seifer," Zell stated, voice cracking. He was free. Free of Odine, Adel, or Estar and everything. Tears emerged.

"It wasn't hard. No one was on guard duty at that damn place." Seifer turned over to have Zell on his chest. "Zell? The drug has worn off, right?"

"Adel's alive," Zell mumbled. Seifer sat up instantly, looking at him. Zell continued. "Odine captured the body, and since I have her power-" he shivered, and Seifer held him- just to warm Zell up, Seifer told himself.

"You aren't there, Zell. You can go back to Garden and tell Squall." Zell nodded at Seifer's words, and Zell started crying again. Somehow, Seifer remembered calling Zell a crybaby but that didn't really fit here, now. Zell deserved a cry, and possibly many, many hotdogs. "Hey," he stated, wiping away a tear. "It's going to be all right now." He couldn't find it in himself to be mean. Zell was just too vulnerable.

Zell nodded, trying to stop but he couldn't. Images kept racking his brain, and he didn't like them. He knew he hadn't cried this much since he was a child, and he longed for Ma's arms to hold him, to tell him it would be okay. Since Ma or Matron was not there, he responded to the next best thing- Seifer's chest. Hands grasped Seifer's shirt and he just cried, wailing and completely miserable.

Seifer had never seen this side of Zell, not _this_ broken, not _this _injured. He felt guilty- if he would have helped earlier, he wouldn't have found Odine starting some_thing_ with Zell. "Shh," he told him, patting Zell's head. "It's okay now."

Zell sniffled. "He hurt me." That was all it took to get Zell crying again. "He…He…"

"I know," Seifer soothed. "He won't touch you again, Zell. I promise." Zell nodded and cried some more for about a good hour. Seifer got up and Zell froze, sniffles threatening to become sobs.

"Where are you going?" Zell asked, hiccups in his voice.

"I work, that's how I can afford to live here." He put on his jacket, and turned to see Zell's face wavering, Zell trying to be strong. Zell wiped his eyes and stood, nodding. Seifer threw him a towel, sighing and giving in. "I'll miss a day, but I can't miss too much more than that, Zell."

Zell scrubbed his face, a "thank you" allowing itself to be heard over the mess. "What do you do, anyway?" he asked, looking up at Seifer.

Seifer held up papers. "For my job, I work for Estar and help get rid of monsters that fell from the Lunar Cry."

Zell remembered that, but he didn't say anything. Odine had been responsible for that, too.

Seifer continued. "Yeah, Estar _was_ gonna attack me or jail me, but the President's assistant, Kiros, I think, came up with a plan to have me kill a good amount of monster's everyday. I'm allowed one day off a week, and so I took today off."

"How many monsters?" Zell asked, placing the towel on the bed. Seifer seemed to be doing quite all right.

"About a hundred to two hundred." Seifer grinned as Zell stared at him, blanching. "Don't worry about it, Chicken. They've all become inbreeds by now and they're all stupid and weak." Seifer placed the papers down on the table.

Zell nodded. Still, over a hundred monsters? Maybe Seifer would be an ideal… Zell shook his head. Seifer wouldn't want that. He was probably feeling guilty about the fact that he'd not rescued Zell earlier. Zell stood up, walking over to Seifer.

"Zell?" Seifer asked in apprehension at not being able to read Zell's eyes. Zell hugged him.

"Thank you," he stated softly. "I won't forget it, Almasy, you can call me Chicken whenever you want."

Seifer petted Zell's head, chuckling. "Don't mention it, Chicken," he stated. "You want some real clothes?" he asked, tugging on the dress. Zell blushed, then shook his head.

"Odine might find me," Zell responded. "He'll be pissed… now that Adel's awake." The sorceress let go of the hug, moving back to the bed. "I don't really want to go out," he admitted.

"That's fair," Seifer told him. "But that Adel thing, you've got to tell someone about that, someone important." He took off his coat, dropping it on the chair.

"You're important!" Zell stated suddenly. Seifer shrugged and turned around.

"I'm gonna take a shower, Zell. Get some more rest if you want it, and if not there's some cold cereal and monster guts in the fridge." He entered the room, wondering why the hell he'd even offered to feed him. This was supposed to be a get and drop off kind of thing, not a rescue a fair maiden sort of mission.

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"Pleaze, Adel, forgive me…" Odine gasped as Adel released his throat by throwing him into the door. The sorceress was at full height, very angry, and very upsetting. Odine knew she still had some of her abilities left, but those she had taken from other Sorceress's (Rinoa included) had been transferred into the boy, and he'd let the boy escape.

"Did you forget _what_ he has?" Adel yelled at him, kicking his limp form. He would have taken some long, blunt object but those had been removed once Odine had recovered from the surprise attack. His men had all been celebrating, and none on watch- and now the boy was gone, rescued, and if SeeD found him…

Odine coughed. "I did not forget you can track him, my Zorcerezz." He waited tensely for another kick or another yell, but none came. He looked up.

Adel stood silently before a wicked grin took his face. "Yes. I am _still_ a sorceress, despite your incompetence." Odine got up, saying nothing. Adel hissed as he remembered others were here. "Leave me," Adel commanded. "Leave me and do something…something _useful_!"

The assistants and technicians and scientists and Odine all rushed out, leaving Adel to focus on the boy.

The boy, the boy who sprang him back to life and carried his power. Adel licked his lips, thinking of the boy he had seen. What terror had been on his face when he grabbed him! Adel chuckled to himself.

The boy's hair came into view. Light, blonde and matching startling blue eyes. There was a tattoo over the boy's face- Odine may not have liked it, but Adel was quite thrilled by it.

The boy froze, sensing the link. It was a feeling only Sorceress's knew, and it was something only Sorceress's could do. The boy spun around, and Adel took the link to visit Zell's particular mind. A shower was running in another room and the boy saw him and sat on the edge of the bed.

"What do you want?" he growled.

Adel stared disapprovingly at the absence of bangles for a moment, and then looked at the boy's eyes. "I am glad to see you're well," Adel responded. "You could have been killed."

"I would have been," Zell hissed.

Adel chuckled at this, moving behind him. "No. Not you," Adel whispered to him, stroking his neck, physical realm forgotten. "You were the only one worthy of my powers. And I did not give them all to you, boy. You know if I take mine back, you'll still have enough to be my…equal."

Zell shivered, almost getting lost in the sensations Adel was pressuring upon him. "I didn't want your powers," he stated. "I didn't want Rinoa's or Edea's or Ultimacia's!"

Adel moved his own mouth to Zell's ear, the other hand keeping the boy still by holding his chest. The boy was calming, but still frightened. "But you have those powers, and mine. Four sets flow through your veins: Rinoa's, Edea's and Mine. But in Rinoa's, there is only two: Edea's and Ultimacia's." Adel watched as Zell shivered again. "Ultimacia's passed on to Edea, now a sorceress twice. Edea's to Rinoa, Rinoa's….3/4 to me," Adel hissed, remembering. "You saw, you know what I took. What has she left? Just a trickle of status changing magic. And as we fought, I chose _you_ to inherit all I had." Adel paused. "Almost all," he corrected.

Zell's eyes were closed, Adel's natural charisma getting to him. "I don't want them," he murmured. "Take them back."

"I can't, unless you come back to me," Adel whispered. "And if you try to go to Rinoa, what will she say? What will your friends say? Their Martial Artist, their fighter, now ten times as powerful as his Commander's lover?" He kissed Zell's neck and the boy stiffened. "Come join me, Zell."

"Why?" Zell demanded, trying to shake free of Adel's hold.

"Don't you want to be free?" Adel managed to ask before the link was broken. He smirked. Foolish boy. He'd give in, his heart was weak and his mind was defenseless.

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Seifer had emerged only partway of their conversation, to see Zell leaning back into someone who wasn't there, obvious frustration on his face and somehow, Zell was caving in. His eyes were shut and his body shivered. "I didn't want your powers," Zell said to no one. "I didn't want Rinoa's or Edea's or Ultimacia's!"

Seifer looked at him sadly, knowing Zell couldn't see or hear him, but still feeling horrible. Adel must have drawn from Rinoa and then given the inherited powers to Zell. Not only would Zell get Adel's and Edea's and Ultimacia's power, but every time a new sorceress was made she added a power, and Zell probably could heal status changes like Rinoa could. Zell would have his own abilities, too, but Seifer wondered how powerful Zell was, if he was radiating this much with the choker on. No wonder Zell seemed so upset.

Seifer put on pants and slid behind Zell, holding Zell to his chest as the conversation drifted off. Zell blinked, looking up at him.

"What…how did you…" Zell's curiosity died down and he sighed. "This is a sorceress thing, isn't it?"

Seifer nodded. "It's how they talk to each other, to warn, to communicate. It was quite useful when they were being persecuted."

Zell tried to forget the warmth of Seifer's chest as naughty thoughts crept up. "Am I…them?"

Seifer shook his head, reciting what Ultimacia had told him. "Every time a new sorceress comes she has her own power, Zell," Seifer replied. "Even if you give your powers away, your gift will still retain. It's added to your power and mimicked by Sorceress's to come after you. But it's still yours."

"So..." Zell looked defeated. Helpless. Seifer could relate.

"You aren't them." Seifer reassured him. "You're brand-new. You can be anything. You've got four sorceresses in your blood now." He ran his hands through Zell's hair as he spoke, effectively calming the martial artist. The said blonde grinned, thoughts running through his head.

"How is it you used to rile me, but now you make me feel…" Zell trailed off, looking for the word and not really caring if he found it or not.

"Tranquil?" Seifer offered, starting to unzip Zell's dress. Zell nodded, not noticing the zipper sound or the hand on his back, so Seifer continued. "I…I can't just let you die, Chicken. You can only be tormented by _me._" He held Zell tightly for emphasis. "And I'm not heartless, I'll have you know. Neither are you, despite the people you've inherited from."

Turning to face the gunbladist and oblivious to the fact that the movement caused his dress to slip down to his waist, Zell looked at him deeply. There were questions on his mind, and Seifer knew he would speak them. "How can I _not_ be? I mean-"

Seifer suddenly pressed their lips together before either could think about it. Soon, each realized they did not want to slip away, and so Zell adjusted himself as Seifer fell on top of them, tongue meeting tongue and lips meeting lips. Seifer held Zell possessively while Zell held him needily; all was alright for a moment with the two.

Seifer pulled apart quickly, ashamed. Zell was _not _his to protect, his to make feel better, no matter what Seifer's heart was telling itself. And besides, Zell had been subject to all sorts of horrible things while with Odine! This wasn't going to make it any better!

Zell had felt peace, surprisingly enough. He'd felt happy and secure and he wondered briefly about Seifer being his knight before he brushed the thought away. Seifer didn't know Zell was attracted to men, Seifer was just trying to be comforting. Seifer was just trying to be nice, the way Zell had always wanted Seifer to be.

The taller man rolled off the man under him. "You should take your shower," he stated, almost shaking. Zell hugged him, surprising them both.

"Thank you, Seifer," he told the ex-knight before disappearing into the bathroom. Seifer nodded, deciding he'd protect Zell no matter what. Even if Adel was going to kill Seifer for it, even if Zell rejected him. Even if he wasn't the best knight before, he could still try to be, Hyne damnit!

A sound met his ears, and he looked up. Zell was calling to him. "Seifer! I can't get the rest of my dress off!" Seifer closed his eyes to try and act professional, and inhaled.

He could do this.

Seifer opened the door, seeing bits of delicious flesh and a very flustered Zell . Zell blushed, pulling up the dress though he hadn't minded minutes before. "I can't get it off."

Seifer motioned for Zell to turn around, and undid the zipper. "You naked?" he asked, but the zipper exposed all of Zell's back and Zell's briefs. _Damnit_, he thought. He slid off the dress and Zell hopped into the shower, pulling the curtain.

"Give me your briefs, Zell, and I'll wash them for you." Seifer chuckled as briefs went flying over the shower curtain. He picked them up and sniffed them, pleased that they smelled good. The water turned on and Seifer knew it was time to go.

Seifer was still obsessing over the fact that Zell was in his house as he placed Zell's laundry in with his. The dress would have to be dry-cleaned, and in the meantime, he'd just think.

He turned on the washer as soon as the water stopped, knowing the washer would cause the shower to turn ice-cold instantly. Seifer walked by the door to get clothes for Zell, swallowing as he wondered what Zell looked like naked. "Chicken!" Seifer yelled, a little too loudly. "I've got a shirt for you."

The door peeped open and Seifer darted into the bedroom. Zell looked out. "Thanks, Seifer." Seifer searched for his largest shirt for Zell to wear, and then decided for the shorts he'd shrunk the first time he did laundry and his smallest shirt. He knocked on the door. "Seifer?" Zell called, but it seemed worried. "Seifer?"

"I'm right here, Zell," Seifer called.

"Get out!" Zell yelled suddenly, and Seifer backed away from the door. "You aren't supposed to be here!"

Adel, Seifer realized, Adel was trying to find Zell again. "Zell," he called, opening the door. Zell held a towel around his waist, trying to back away from someone. Seifer came up behind him, placing the clothes on the sink counter. "Zell. He's not real." Zell's gaze faltered from unfocused, so Seifer continued. "Listen to me, Zell. Come back to me."

There was a struggle on Zell's face, and soon he saw Seifer in the mirror. "Seifer?" he asked, and Seifer sighed in relief. Zell's eyes closed. "Thank you."

"No problem," Seifer told him, cradling him.

Zell blushed, looking at Seifer through the mirror. Seifer seemed so content suddenly, so Zell didn't pull away. But the breath on his neck _was_ getting awkward. "Seifer?" he asked.

"Hmm?" Seifer stated, and Zell rolled his eyes.

"I'd like to get dressed," Zell told him bluntly.

Seifer nodded, blushing deeply. "Of course," he stated, leaving and shutting the door.

Zell collapsed on the toilet lid, shaking. This was freaky. How the hell could Seifer do this to him, without one of those damned potions?

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Zell felt like a bird, welcoming the wind on his face. He had climbed up on a mess of concrete blocks and steel beams for building many more floors to the building, and it was like a jungle gym on this roof. To him, anyway, Seifer was calling him down, as he had been for the past two hours.

"Zell? I know you're happy and all, but, please come down. I can't catch you if you fall from over there."

Zell leaned over a little, laughing as Seifer cringed. "You're a worry-wart!" he called out, jumping in between the beams and sometimes letting a little power go for effect. He felt free, and unknowingly, he captured Seifer's eyes and the attention was growing deeper. He laughed, coming down halfway.

"Don't do that, Zell. When I said fresh air I didn't mean adult playground." Seifer grumbled some more, leaning against the door to the inside. Zell laughed and Seifer's heart lightened a little.

"Adult playground? That sounds dirty," Zell commented, setting his power free and sparkling up high. For a moment, it looked like he had wings.

"Zell, don't do that. It's like a flare, saying, 'Find me! Find me!'," Seifer sighed. Zell had argued it made him feel happy and they were just going in circles with this conversation.

"I'm happy," Zell retorted, moving up higher. Seifer sighed again and stood underneath him.

"You won't be anything dead," Seifer told him, and Zell stuck his tongue out at the taller blonde, looking down. Seifer looked breathtaking, the way the wind moved his hair, the way those green eyes met his. Zell reached for another beam.

He was falling suddenly. All he could think was, _Oh, shit, _now_ I'm gonna get found_. He braced himself for the impact, hoping nothing would get too damaged.

Seifer caught him in a flash, keeping Zell from touching the ground. Zell's heart thumped wildly and he leaned back into the man who'd just saved him from messy hospitals and more chances to meet Odine.

"Thanks, Seifer," Zell stated, suddenly shaking. Seifer held him tighter.

"I told you not to do that," Seifer stated, muffled by the shirt on Zell's back. Zell laughed it off.

"But I have you to protect me, so I'm okay, right?" Zell looked for a response, twisting.

Seifer set him down instead, not meeting Zell's eyes. "Let's go inside," Seifer stated darkly. Zell walked up to him, tugging on his shirt.

"Seifer?" Zell asked. "What's wrong?"

Lots of things were wrong, Seifer thought. Zell wasn't being smart about being safe. Adel was alive. Odine had attacked Zell.

Zell wasn't kissing him.

"Nothing," Seifer told him, gathering Zell in a quick hug. "Let's go down for lunch, huh?" Zell followed, wanting to ask a question and knowing Seifer's answer all the same. He shut the door, inhaling.

Seifer noted the inhale and turned as Zell bit his lip. "Yes, Zell?" he asked, cocking his head.

"Would you…would you…protect me?" Zell mumbled, just loud enough Seifer could barely make it out.

Seifer was ecstatic. Zell was asking him, asking _him_ for a second chance? "Like your knight?" Seifer asked, and Zell nodded, though the motion small. "Yes," Seifer stated right afterwards. "I mean, if you'll accept me and all, and if you don't mind a little teasing…"

Zell dove into Seifer's arms, almost knocking his new knight over. Suddenly there were kisses, and more kisses, and Seifer had to keep Zell from taking off his pants, double-checking to make sure the potion was truly gone. Zell gave a small pout, but Seifer simply told him that Zell didn't have to try and do anything dramatic for him.

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So now Zell was on the sofa, life suddenly returning to how it should be and throwing eggs at his dress, the way Seifer had told him to a dozen times. It did feel good, just like Seifer had told him it would. Seifer seemed to be right about most things, Zell noted, throwing another egg.

Arms wrapped him in a hug, mouth on his neck, avoiding the collar. "I finished it," his Knight said between kisses, which was not heard due to the giggles coming out of the Sorceress. "I finished it," Seifer said again, and Zell looked up at him. Hyne, he was beautiful, Seifer admitted to himself.

"What?" Zell asked, eager for a present of some sort. His head tilted and he threw an egg absentmindedly at the dress and missed, hitting old newspapers instead. Seifer handed him a little doll, and Zell almost squealed. "It's a…" his smile faded. "It's a… Odine," he said quietly.

"It's a voodoo doll," Seifer told him, wrapping his arms around the doll-holding, egg-throwing sorceress/martial artist. "Maybe what you do to it will happen to Odine."

Zell stated an "Oh," before looking at it, studying it wisely. Finally deciding on a course of action, the Sorceress bit of Odine's head and chewed it rabidly. After he grew tired of the taste of stuffing, he spit it into the pan collecting the egg residue at the bottom of his dress. Stuffing spilled, though only a little, and Zell took time in tearing each of the doctor doll's limbs off. With those he got up and walked past his Knight and ignored the odd look shot in his direction.

He opened up the electric knife and began slicing the poor doll into tiny, tiny bits, placed down the knife and stuck them in the microwave and set it on high for thirty seconds.

"Zell?" Seifer asked, and Zell hushed him. He was getting revenge.

The now scorched and dried doll was taken from the microwave prison and to the sink where Zell set it on fire with magic, though he said no words. What was left of Odine remained in ashes, and Zell burned those, then gathered the ashes's ashes in his hand and flushed them down the toilet.

When he returned, he sat on the sofa and now aimed his eggs at the doll head in the pan.

"Those are some…primal urges there," Seifer commented, and Zell gave a cool shrug as a response. Seifer sighed and kissed Zell lightly on the neck. "Let's get this cleaned up, and then it's off to bed, okay?

Zell nodded, taking the dress and the newspapers and forming them into a bundle. The bundle went into the trash, and a new toothbrush entered Zell's mouth and left, and then Zell crept into the bed, cuddling next to the person who had made him feel safe in so long. It was ironic, he supposed, that it was Seifer, but he wouldn't argue. Maybe after this was all sorted out and he was no longer a sorceress he would…

Zell shut his eyes. He would always be a Sorceress, for all of eternity. Squall would hate him, and Rinoa would hate him, and Selphie would hate him and-

"Shh," Seifer told him, holding him suddenly. "It's going to be all right, Zell. Being a Sorceress isn't the end of the world."

Zell looked up at him, wanting to know _how_ Seifer knew what he was thinking, and what to say. Seifer chuckled. "You're too readable, Zell." Too pretty, too readable, too…

Too wonderful.

Zell seemed to pick up on this and flipped Seifer over him, surprising the hell out of the Knight. "What-"

Zell pressed a finger to his lips. "I know you want this to be a romantic thing, Seifer. You know, the first day of a Knight and his Sorceress?"

"Zell, there's no way I'd ask you to do something like that," Seifer whispered to him, Zell's words cutting through his defenses. Something inside was tapping now, trying to get past the walls of emptiness inside him.

Zell kissed him in reassurance. "But I can't keep asking to get things without giving. You've been good, Seifer and… and…" He swallowed. "I want to come, Seifer, and look up and realize Odine's not there." So it was partially selfish. It wouldn't be a sacrifice.

Seifer's eyes changed and the thing inside him had broken down those walls, screaming, "I told you so!". He kissed Zell, both mouths hungry, and he pulled back. "You are absolutely sure?"

Zell nodded. "I won't regret this, Seifer. I promise." Seifer pulled off Zell's shirt, then, planting kisses down Zell's chest. Zell closed his eyes, trying to tell himself it was all Seifer.

When he opened them, Seifer was still there, chuckling. They were naked now, and Zell wasn't sure if it was because he was tired or because- he looked at the little pieces of glitter in the air. "What's that?" he asked, and Seifer shook his head.

"Your Power, Zell. As soon as you shut your eyes bits of stardust fell on us." Seifer sighed. "You all right?"

Zell nodded. "Huh." He didn't think it was _his_ magic, his gift, and shrugged it off. Seifer was placing lube on his fingers, and Zell was curious how he found it. "What's that?"

"A birthday gift, from Raijin," Seifer told him, chuckling. "When he found out I was gay."

Zell inhaled as Seifer entered him with his finger, stretching. "Seifer," he breathed. That's right, he'd never asked- he'd just assumed Seifer was gay, probably from when Seifer kissed him on the bed earlier. Seifer had added another and Zell kept his gaze on him, knowing this wasn't Odine, this was someone who cared.

_What are you doing, Seifer_? Seifer asked himself, but Zell was begging him, and he wasn't sure why, but this felt right. He could do this, he could-

When had he fallen in love with Zell?

The thought emerged, but it didn't matter now, now Zell was ready and had tasted that spot within him and was a damn bit bitchy about it.

"Please, Seifer, please…" Zell cried, lifting his hips up. Seifer obeyed, pulling out his hand and pushing himself in. Zell suddenly held Seifer tightly, wanting him close. Seifer obeyed, kissing Zell to show he understood, and then began a rhythm that fit them well. Zell came first, face flushed and though he was not loud, he was tight, and that's what sent Seifer over the edge, almost at the same time.

Seifer pulled out and Zell cradled him tightly, not letting go, even in sleep.

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You've finished the second chapter, horray! Wasn't that freakishly long, especially for the normal amount of length my chapters have? Oh, well, hope to see you next chapter!


	4. Chapter 3

You think Odine's creepy? Well, wait until you see Adel. Adel makes more contact with our heroes, Seifer is accused of being useless, and more Odine! My apologizes to those of you who don't like him. (basically Esse, no one else has mentioned anything.)

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Chapter three:

Adel growled as he looked at the sleeping boy, cradled up in his new lover's arms. This boy would find a source of strength that was not Adel, and Adel couldn't have that. Zell needed _him._

"Hope he doesn't want you just for sex," Adel cooed, and chuckled when Zell subconsciously huddled closer to Seifer.

Adel had found Zell, and now the issue was getting the two away from each other.

But the boy was beautiful when he came. Oh, yes, he'd like to experience that for himself. The boy was definitely worth for himself, eyes glazed, face flushed, voice begging- beautiful.

Adel would not kill the boy, he knew. The knight, yes. Knights were pathetic, weak creatures who wanted their sorceress's glory.

He could teach the boy. Let the boy learn his own gift and they could share it, together. The curiosity of what the boy's gift had been was driving Adel to insanity. Status attacks, to give life to inanimate objects, to visit dreams? Ultimacia's gift of life was a most interesting twist. Could the boy bring back the souls of the dead?

Mm. This boy would spend time in _his_ personal chambers, he knew, after they re-attached some Odine bangles.

Adel gave a smirk, reaching out to Zell who tightened on his Knight. "You know you are mine, boy. Don't forget."

Zell nodded sleepily, then shook his head, and then gave a whine to which Seifer awoke to. He kissed Zell's forehead softly and held him with renewed vigor, and all worry from Zell's face had vanished.

Adel growled and broke contact, awakening to see Odine bowing before him. Odine was awaiting his command, like always.

"Let's move," Adel told him, and Odine grinned.

"Yez, my zorcerezz."

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…

Zell awoke again in the unfamiliar bed, this time realizing he was in no dress and that he particularly enjoyed the sleeping form at his side. Seifer was still holding him, but somehow Zell was higher on the bed. He stroked Seifer's hair, the way he would a cat. Seifer was too adorable when he slept.

Seifer blinked, looking up. For a moment there was confusion and his memory returned, and he smiled. "Good morning," he stated.

"Morning," Zell told him, stretching. Seifer let go of him, returning to his own side of the bed.

"You were having nightmares," Seifer told him suddenly. "That's why…the cuddling."

Zell shook his head, chuckling. Somehow now he could sense when Seifer was lying, he could sense the emotions Seifer felt. "I liked it, regardless, Seifer." Now he could respond to ways that wouldn't make them both have awkward silences and pauses, though he figured they'd just fight them away.

And Seifer could almost do the same, he could see the way Zell wanted to be hugged and the way his eyes seemed to reflect somewhere else, and he could see the questions forming on them. To stop them he hugged Zell again, though this time he pressed his head into Zell's neck. "You should come to work with me today," Seifer told him. "It'll be practice to use your hands. I've got makeshift gloves for you."

"What if someone sees me?" Zell whispered worriedly. "I mean, Odine?"

"He probably will, but that's why Estar downtown is Security-Camera happy now. Odine has to take a van into his lab- it looked suspicious for him to have you running out with a dress. Odine's been bitching about those cameras recently, so I'll take you to the palace." He looked at Zell. "Then we go carry out our mission or whatever Kiros decides to do."

Zell nodded, biting his lip. It was better than staying still, and he had this feeling something horrid would happen if he did stay home. Seifer kissed him gently. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."

The Sorceress nodded again, a smile breaking him out of worry. "I trust you," he stated. Seifer's heart lifted.

"Let's get showers taken, then. You taste good, Zell, but it's rather embarrassing to explain what exactly is on your chest." Seifer let go and Zell hit him playfully.

"Bully." Zell remarked, sticking his tongue out at him. Seifer grinned wickedly and got out from under the covers.

"Chicken." He retorted, and fell on top of Zell, kissing him long enough to have Zell withering beneath him. They parted, Zell panting, and Seifer licked his lips. "See?"

Zell rolled his eyes and Seifer laughed, walking into the bathroom. The sorceress got up, putting on shorts to wear as he remembered the dress was thrown away. A glow caught his eyes, and he turned, eyes wide as bleeting met his ears. (1) Realizing the bed was glowing, he called out. "Seifer!"

Said blonde raced out of the bathroom, ready to deal with the problem. "I think… I think the bed…" Zell remarked, watching as the covers suddenly flapped at him.

Seifer stared blankly, taking in a deep breath. No one said this was going to be easy. Zell was perhaps the most powerful sorceress and yet still pretty green, and therefore this was _Seifer's_ responsibility. "Henry?" he asked the bed, and the bed gave several more bleeting sounds.

"Henry?" Zell asked, looking up at him. "Your bed has a name?"

"My gunblade has a name. Why does this surprise you?" Seifer shot back. The bed seemed to wobble a bit. "I think…I think Henry's alive, Zell."

Zell blinked. "A..Alive? Did I…" Zell shook his head. It had to have been the power again. "I must have." Suddenly the bed managed to hobble over to them, the sheets taking both blondes in it and it hobbled back into place. Zell gave a muffled cry inside of the covers, suddenly meeting Seifer. Seifer shook his head.

"Henry," he scolded. "Don't eat us."

There were more bleets. Zell looked up at Seifer. "What…what should I do?" he asked, and Seifer pulled Zell to him amidst the flowing sheets.

"Focus," he told Zell simply. "Let the power come to you." Really, Seifer had no idea, but it was something he'd heard Ultimacia tell one of her little Sorceress- henchmen, so he figured it might work. Besides, he always thought Henry was a little bit of a pervert and he could always buy another bed if Zell burned this one.

Zell closed his eyes, trying to do exactly as he was told. He could feel the power searching, looking for the strands that connected the bed to him, and he cut all seven of them. The bed gave a final bleet and stopped moving.

Now the question was getting out. Zell struggled in the tangled sheets, shrieking as hands found him. "Seifer!" he laughed loudly. "Don't tickle!" The hands were relentless, and as much as Zell tried he couldn't flee them. "Seifer!"

Seifer was laughing, too, a sound he hadn't heard before. "Silly chicken," he scolded. "I was so looking forward to a shower this morning, and now you've gone and ruined it!"

Zell managed to twist away from one hand, head finding air. "I didn't mean-" he cut himself off. Seifer was right above him, watching with deep green eyes and Zell wasn't sure if he could breathe. Damn those uncomfortable silences.

"I know," Seifer told him suddenly. "I'll go take that shower now, unless you want first dibs."

"I…I think you should," Zell responded. "I might accidentally blow up the shower or something." Seifer nodded, pulling off the tattooed SeeD and going into the bathroom- leaving the door open this time so there wouldn't be a struggle to get out. Zell swallowed, struggling to get out of the covers.

"Henry," Zell stated. "Does your shower have a name, too?"

The water turned on and Seifer shouted something Zell couldn't make out, so he sat on the bed, again before the decided they would need new covers and bundled them up. There were feelings of guilt, huge waves. How could he help Seifer if he couldn't even control his power? He was sure he'd casted sleep on himself last night and this morning he'd just…

All he could remember was Seifer's green eyes, damnit! Zell curled the sheets into ropes and carried them to the washer, setting them down. He wasn't sure were Seifer had new sheets, but he'd ask later. Right now, he wasn't sure what to do.

His power was burbling up again and he grabbed the washer tightly. Why couldn't he control this?

"So pitiful, but so beautiful," came a call, and Zell spun to see Adel chuckling at his weakness. "You don't get it, do you?" Zell flinched as Adel touched his face.

"Sei-" Adel hushed him instantly with the other hand. Zell glared as suddenly he felt weak, a new power rushing up inside him and encouraging feelings of submission.

"You have to be careful how you feel, boy. Romanticism can lead to one ability, or another. Fear can cause massive flares, your depression huge ice sheets." Adel stepped closer to the young sorceress and grinned much more wickedly than Seifer could ever manage. "Your happiness can haste the bloomings of flowers, don't you see? If you don't keep your emotions in check, you keep your power in check. That's the rule."

Zell tore his face away from Adel's hands, though he could not move his body. "Rinoa doesn't-"

"Rinoa is a weak and pathetic excuse for a sorceress," Adel stated sternly. "Don't learn from her example." Zell nodded quietly, wanting Adel to leave as soon as possible.

"Zell!" a voice called from somewhere. Zell turned to it, but Adel caught his face again.

"Don't listen to him. He wants to take you away from this, from me." Adel bent over quickly and Zell realized just what Adel was aiming for. He dropped to the ground, avoiding an otherwise stolen kiss. The older sorceress's face was covered in fury as the link broke, though Zell still could not see.

"He calls to you," a new, sadder voice said. "He calls, little one. Answer."

"Seifer?" Zell asked, and suddenly the light returned, and Seifer was standing in the doorway. The lathered shampoo on his hair suddenly made Zell realize he must have stopped mid-way to help him.

"Zell?" he asked, and Zell tried not to cry. "Zell? I felt like something was wrong and I came to check on you and you didn't answer." He crouched down, the towel exposing his outer thigh. (2) Zell simply nodded as his lip quivered. Seifer helped him up. "What happened?" Seifer asked concernedly.

"Adel…" Zell whispered. "Adel found me again." Seifer held Zell as Zell suddenly burst into tears, his hope almost all taken from him. "He told me…he told me how to control my power." He looked up at Seifer. "It's in my emotions."

Seifer sighed. "That'll be difficult for you then, huh?" he asked, and Zell nodded. "That doesn't explain the bed, though."

Zell turned a bright shade of red. "It does," he stated. "I was…I thought earlier… about how alive I'd like the bed to be… with you…"

Seifer turned red also, suddenly the tension becoming a little more than awkward. "Oh."

Zell bit his lip. "But if you're here, then I guess I'll be okay, right? Because you'll protect me." He looked hopeful, and Seifer nuzzled him.

"Always," Seifer replied. "I don't trust myself taking showers now," he stated, "but I think I should finish."

Zell laughed and played in the bubbles of Seifer's head. "I think you should, too," he admitted. "And then I'll have mine."

Both looked at each other, wanting to say the same thing. Zell blushed a deeper shade of red. "I think… I think I can feel your thoughts. Not read them… but…"

"That happens, Zell," Seifer told him quietly, hand sneaking past the shorts.

"Pervert," Zell stated, scooting away. He stuck his tongue out at his knight. "Maybe I'll join you, then. Maybe not." Seifer gave a pouting face and Zell laughed at him. "Fine, fine. Give me a second."

Seifer got up. "I'll hold you to that," he responded, leaving Zell to his thoughts. Zell shook off Adel's words and followed in after his Knight. He was greeted with steamy words to match the heated water, and he couldn't bring himself to regret any of it.

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The palace never seemed empty, with aides and interns running around, but the section Seifer had brought him to did indeed look like no one had entered for several years. He was quite worried because Odine had a small desk in this hallway, he knew- Squall had him check on Rinoa in this particular section. He hugged his knight closer, the choker still wet from the events in the shower.

"You tripped me," Zell accused for the forty-eighth time that hour. His knight rolled his eyes and petted his head. Zell continued. "That was just an excuse to…to get me to suck you 'cause you know I've got no restraint. That was low."

"I didn't trip you, Zell," Seifer stated nonchalantly. "In fact, you dropped to your knees after _I_ gave you head, and that's where you got the idea from." The two turned the corner, passing an aide that was far too busy to pay attention to their conversation.

"But…" Zell stated, trying to think of something. He couldn't, as they walked. "You _knew_ I'd come in there and you _knew_ I'd let you do that and you _knew_ I'm a sucker for a head massage." He grinned at his knight. _Ha! Let's see Seifer come up with something better than that!_

"It's simple shampooing, Zell. Besides, you also finished my hair, did you not? I didn't force you to come in, hauling your ass on a leash." Seifer grinned and leaned down into his ear. "Unless you'd like that," he cooed, and Zell looked away. Realizing his mistake, Seifer pulled back and took Zell's hand, looking at it. "Nah. I think you're prettiest when you're free." He kissed the hand gently.

Zell blushed, thanking Seifer for his amendment of words silently. The two continued down the hall to Kiros's office, the large, glowing doors opening instantly. Kiros was busy with paperwork and he looked up at the intruders.

"Zell!" he stated with surprise. "I thought you were helping with Odine?"

Zell held onto Seifer with a dark look, and Kiros looked to Seifer for an explanation. Seifer said nothing and Kiros stood. "How did you two come to meet?" he asked quietly. "Zell, didn't you fight him?"

Zell nodded, trying not to look to childish. He just wanted to be protected right now, not wanting to face questions or insults or-

Kiros was staring at him oddly. Zell looked up at Seifer, who sighed. "You just cast Wall, Zell," he told him. Zell swallowed and gave a wave at the dark man who blinked several times before taking a seat and motioning for the other two to do so. Zell sat, the newly bought clothes baggy and unconstricting.

"I'm…I'm a sorceress," Zell started. "And Odine was…experimenting on me." His eyes grew to their dark shade again and Kiros nodded understandingly.

"Don't go into detail, Zell, unless you're comfortable." He stated. He knew too well what kind of experiments Odine had done before- that's why Odine was considered "inhumane". He shivered mentally at some of the memories that resurfaced.

"Thank you," Zell stated. "Adel… she gave me her powers," Zell continued. "And Odine caught her body, trying to reraise it. But he couldn't find the SeeD who had her power- so he just asked for SeeDs. Squall told me he was quite picky with who he wanted, and he sent me thinking I'd be sent back. Odine would let me give a check-up and if you look, requested I stay longer."

Kiros was already flipping through files. "It checks out," he stated. "Continue," he told either one, and Seifer picked up when Zell bit his lip.

"Zell had tried to escape many times, I'm sure, but one time he managed to come by my apartment. I…I let him go, unsure of what was going on, but I followed the men and crept into the lab. I managed to get Zell out and he stayed at my house yesterday." Zell gave Seifer an appreciative glance and Kiros caught it.

"So in a day you two managed to make up?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Seifer's less of an ass," Zell told him helpfully, smiling brightly as Seifer shrugged. "And I…I guess I needed somebody, and he's the only one who reached out."

That was sweet, Seifer stated, looking at Kiros. Kiros shrugged "I'm sure we can loose this paperwork once we explain it to Squall. I'll try to contact him immediately, but he is on a flying garden, and they don't have the radio receivers hooked in yet." He stood. "And the Garden has requested some of those monsters, Seifer, now that they're all weak and stupid. I'm allowing both you and Zell to kill some, but not too many." He looked at Zell. "You said Odine has Adel's body?"

Zell closed his eyes. "It's worse. Adel's alive," he responded.

Kiros said nothing, looking at the papers. "I… I can't believe that, Zell." Zell shot up from his seat. Kiros held up a hand and Seifer held Zell in an instant. "Let me explain. Odine isn't stupid. He'd be executed if we found Adel. It's hard to hide a ten-foot body anymore. We've searched up and down, and we haven't seen anything. I believe Odine did some horrible things to you, Zell, and he _will_ be punished for it."

"You never checked the cargo bay! And she's changed, now, she's only 7 foot!" Zell shouted suddenly, and Seifer held him tighter as a draft breezed in through the room. Kiros closed his eyes, hands darting to his weapons.

"Zell, shh. It'll be okay," Seifer told him, and the power died down as Zell submitted to Seifer's arms. "Let's go, okay? We've done what we can." Zell nodded and left. Seifer turned to Kiros. "I strongly suggest, Kiros, keeping Ellone away from Estar for a while. You never know who might pop up."

Kiros glared at him, and Seifer smirked. "He's my sorceress, Kiros. I'll stick by him, right or wrong."

"That kind of thinking got you in trouble the last time," Kiros snapped back.

"Good thing Zell has an honest heart," Seifer shot, leaving the room in a huff. Zell was waiting for him, and was by his side instantly.

"Thank you," Zell told him, nuzzling into Seifer's arm. "You didn't have to do that, you know."

Seifer smiled at the blonde. "I'd hate myself," he told Zell. "I'm supposed to take your side. It's not hard, you usually end up on the right side of things." Zell smiled and closed his eyes.

"Ziz iz impozzible!" came a cry. "He cannot be here!"

Zell looked up and Seifer motioned for Zell to stand in a small doorway as he covered the blonde with his back. Odine came stomping into the hallway, throat speckled with purple bruises and his regular collar crumpled in places. He started to say something but stopped, seeing Seifer.

"You. You are Ultimacia'z knight, are you not?" he asked, his anger seemingly gone.

"I don't think it was much of a Knighting," Seifer responded. "And she is dead now, if you weren't aware." He made as if to move, but stayed. Zell's heart was beating a million miles a minute.

Odine laughed, walking up to the war-experienced man without fear. "Were you looking for zomeone elze to protect?"

Zell stopped breathing and Odine continued. "To make up for your pazt miztakez? To zhow the world you can be…competent?"

Seifer slapped him suddenly, the rage inside Zell's knight enough to make Zell worry. He pressed his head against Seifer's back, an attempt to show Seifer it didn't matter to him, and Seifer was here with him and that was all that mattered. Seifer acknowledged it and stepped back a little. "Keep walking, you pathetic clown," he hissed. "If I _ever_ get you to myself I will make you suffer for _every_ sorceress you put through that damn lab of yours."

Odine took a sniff of the air, and broke into a grin. "You've found him, have you not? My boy, he iz wiz you." Odine looked around and Zell touched Seifer's back as well. This time the touch was more afraid, more worried and Seifer took note of it. "Come out, my boy. It iz all right, I will not harm you. You are mizzed, my boy, mizzed and we want you back. Think of all you have done for uz."

Seifer unsheathed Hyperion. "Get out," he hissed, and Odine opened a bottle. A strange sent filled the air, one that hurt the nose and made the eyes water. Seifer growled and swung the gunblade menacingly. Odine backed away.

"Boy!" he continued to call. "My beautiful boy, we want you to come back, zhe and I."

Seifer felt Zell shift. Zell was falling half-asleep, listening to Odine's commands. Well, Seifer supposed, Odine wasn't an expert on Sorceresses for nothing. Zell moved but Seifer held him still, no longer hiding but keeping Zell from reaching the scientist.

_Damnit, Zell, stay still for what your life is worth!_

Zell started to whine at the imprisonment, pushing at Seifer repeatedly. Odine listened for the whining, cocking his head to one side. "Zhe and I are waiting, my little one…"

"_She_ and I?" a voice called out. "You suddenly have a wife, Odine?"

Kiros, Seifer noted, relaxing for a second. Zell gave another whine and Seifer tensed up, while Odine was covering the bottle. "A cook," Odine covered. "Zhe gave me ziz wonderful… wine, can you not zmell?"

Zell stopped pushing at Seifer, coming around. "Wha-" An elbow convinced him to shush.

"I'd like a word, Odine," Kiros stated and Odine bowed.

"Of courze. I am willing to pleaze." Odine followed Kiros into the office, glaring at Seifer as he entered. As soon as he was gone Seifer moved, Zell falling into his arms.

"What happened?" Zell asked groggily.

"Odine had a scent that made you feel weak, and submissive," Seifer told him. "I can't quite place it."

"It's powdered dragon bone," Zell told him. "I know it now." He sighed and nuzzled into Seifer's chest. "I can't thank you enough, can I?"

"It's my job, Zell," Seifer told him, though it was becoming much more than that.

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Seifer admitted to himself, watching Zell take on the last of the monsters in this area, that Zell was really, really good at fighting when his power was loose and free. Monsters lay dead and killed by different ways; a booyah, or a different beat for some of the tougher ones, and different magic scarred the rest of the bodies. Zell finished casting flare. "That's the two-hundred, seventh one today," Zell said happily. "Let's go home."

Seifer stared at the ground, trying not to feel inferior. "I…"

Zell cocked his head, waiting for Seifer's words. They didn't come, so Zell tried the next best thing- reading his emotions. There was depression, sadness. Seifer looked at him. "Stop," he stated coldly, and Zell stopped.

"What's wrong?" Zell asked him, walking up to him. The two continued up to the surface. Sewers were icky, Zell reminded himself.

"I only got to kill five monsters," Seifer told him. "You took my job!" Zell's face looked crestfallen, and Seifer tapped him lightly on the face. "Don't take it personally. You could have used the exercise, and it was nice playing solitaire in my head." Zell broke into a grin, nuzzling the older blonde.

Seifer was awesome, Zell had decided. Maybe before he used to be mean, or maybe he used to be "evil" but really, Zell decided, Seifer was just an insecure guy dealing with his feelings. Zell couldn't hate him for that. In fact-

There was a boom radiating in the sewer, one that was…magical. Oh, crap. "Seifer," Zell whispered. "Someone's coming."

Seifer looked back, watching as the walls seemed to tremble. "It's not a monster?" he asked, and Zell shook his head vigorously. "See that ladder? Run for it. Once you're above ground the cameras will show to trace you if anything bad happens." He gave Zell a quick kiss. "Run, Zell."

Zell ran, suddenly cursing himself for using so much power. Now he was tired and felt weak- the power was linked to _him_ after all. Seifer noted and cast haste on his sorceress, and backed up. Zell was halfway finished with the ladder when the voice rang out.

"You can't keep running from me, boy!"

Adel, Zell realized as a sickening feeling overtook his stomach. He climbed faster, shouting a warning to his knight. "Run, damnit!"

Seifer took off, trusting his sorceress with more than he most likely would have if he hadn't been terrified. There were waves of water, now, and Zell emerged from the entrance, coughing as his lungs inhaled sudden smoke. Seifer emerged a little after, holding a handkerchief to Zell's mouth to protect Zell from breathing it in. The two made it to the exit, Seifer going out first.

He was blasted to the side as soon as he stepped out.

Zell stepped back suddenly, and an arm shot out to grab him. "No, no," someone whispered, dragging Zell out from the smoke. A henchmen grabbed Zell and placed a bangle on his arm, while another held out bangles for him. Seifer was lying against a support pillar for the highways above, his eyes closed.

"Seifer!" Zell called, and someone chuckled, emerging from the smoke. Adel, followed by Odine.

"Zee, Adel? I knew he would not be very far…"

Adel hushed him by faking a hit. Odine whimpered and flinched away, behind his henchmen. The older sorceress chuckled and stood in front of Zell, lightly tracing the tattoo.

"Should I kill him?" came the question. Zell snarled and snapped his power at the taller man, and Adel's head flared back a second before coming upright, blood dripping from his nose. Another bangle was added, and Zell had to fight his eyes from closing now. Adel leaned closer to the new sorceress, grinning. "If you don't cooperate, he dies."

Zell bit his lip, looking at his knight. "You…You…"

"Kill him," Adel stated coldly. "I have no use for him." The henchmen moved.

"Wait, Adel, could I not have him? He iz very lovely," Odine asked, drool dripping from the side of his mouth. Zell struggled in vain.

"Keep your dirty paws off him!" he yelled, and Adel petted his head.

"You know what to say, then." Adel watched as Zell closed his eyes, taking in a breath.

"I surrender," Zell whispered raggedly.

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Everybody likes sheep, right? So, let's have sheep-beds!

That's why we always tie our towels on the side, so there are no…indecent exposures.

Yeah, just want you to know that this chapter never appeared in the original story. Instead, there was an early morning shag and Adel attacked as soon as Seifer stepped into the shower. I like this one much better.

See you soon!


	5. Chapter 4

Here's the thing on Adel.

If they don't know Adel is a man, people call Adel a woman. (Zell, Kiros, Squall, ect.)

If they do know Adel is a man, they call Adel a man. (Seifer, Adel, ect.)

Odine calls Adel a woman out of respect, because Adel pounds him into walls for entertainment.

Hope that clarifies a few things.

Disclaimer: Square owns them.

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Chapter four

Zell glared at the scientist as he rode in the van. Odine was the only other person in the van; Adel had taken Seifer back to his "home" and Zell wasn't allowed to see. Zell sniffled. Seifer was probably dead, and he wouldn't forgive himself for it. Odine patted his leg- far too high up and far too long.

"Do not worry, my beautiful," he stated, making a left-hand turn and thereby going the wrong way on a one-way road. Cars honked and leaped out of the way, and Odine never took his eyes off Zell.

"The road, Odine," Zell told him.

"We will take care of you. Zhe and I…we are imprezzed by your… ingeniouz." Odine slipped his hand further up, and Zell hit it, far too restrained to do much damage. The stupid bangles and the stupid power were suppressing his own strength and ability to stay awake. His head bobbed a few times, not wanting to fall asleep in front of the scientist.

"Zhe has allowed me to… do a few zings," Odine stated grinning. "I hope to have many more beautifulz running around me, doing my bidding."

Zell managed to squirm away from Odine, though the van was small, perhaps why Odine had chosen it in the first place. Odine grinned. "Though, I will alter zem. Zey will not find knights." Odine spit out the window and turned right back onto the main highway. Zell's heart, however, didn't stop pounding, adrenaline flowing through him.

"You're going to _clone_ me?" Zell asked, and Odine grinned.

"You are a zmart boy. Yez, I zink it would be fun- zough zey would not have your zpunk." Odine chuckled. "Zink of all I could do- Playboy Bunniez, partiez, watching who doez who-"

"Stop," Zell hissed. "You're sick."

"Zo I've heard," Odine responded, grinning. "It'z not my fault. Adel won't let me have you, so I'd better make more of you." He looked up, thinking. A lonely little raccoon made its way over the road, and was promptly hit. "Maybe I could give you cat-earz…"

"Adel won't let you have me?" Zell asked, and Odine glared at him. Zell closed his eyes as he realized Odine was going into one of his rants. The perfect opportunity for a nap or to greet death, whichever came first.

"I zhould! I captured you! I saw you for what you were! I am the greatizt zcientizt zat ever lived! And what do I get? I don't even get to enter my boy! I cannot claim him! Zat iz not fair! I zhould be able to have you az a love-slave, but what doez Adel zay? No!" Odine yelled. "No!"

Odine reached over and grabbed Zell's hair, pulling Zell close to those wild, dark eyes. "You are _mine_," Odine stated, and Zell winced at the pain. "Agree!" Odine yelled and Zell nodded his head, if only to make the pain stop. Odine laughed, hitting a puppy and its owner. "Zee? He agreez wiz me!"

The van pulled into a parking lot and hit the wall, thereby stopping. Zell lurched forward into the airbag, and Odine laughed. "I have zeen your zpine curve like zat before…" he mused, undoing Zell's seatbelt. "Come. We have DNA to get, zough, I must admit, it iz not my expertize."

Zell looked up at the skyline, looking for a building miles away. "Seifer…" he whispered, and Odine grabbed his hand and yanked him out of the car.

"Come! Maybe zen, I will get your clonez to build a car where I can reach ze brakez!"

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Adel threw the knight onto the bed, not caring whether Seifer cracked his skull or not. The knight had still to awaken, and Adel was reminded by Odine he was the boy responsible for pulling him out of stasis. So the knight would live this day, and Adel would call it even.

The knight gave a moan. Thoughts flew through Adel's head, and he decided it would be fun to gloat. Walking over to the bed, he sat on it, covering the blonde's throat. The knight's eyes opened, revealing green, an opposite of Adel's own eye color. "Where's…Zell?" The knight managed to mutter, and the sorceress grinned.

"With me," Adel cooed. "I must admit, it was quite convenient of you to be hit by my men. It made the bargain much more sweet, Zell agreeing to come for your life."

Seifer's eyes widened in anger and loathing, partly for himself, partly at Adel. He struggled in vain. Adel's hand would not move. "You bastard," he stated.

Adel laughed. "I must thank you. I'd never know how beautiful he was if I hadn't been watching you two." He leaned over, his voice growing husky. "The way he flushes, the way his voice takes on that needy pitch, the way he seems to control the situation without actually being in control…"

Seifer struggled harder, trying to escape the words.

"He's _mine_," Adel stated. "You knights think you can take our glory."

"You wouldn't know!" Seifer yelled back. Guilt ate at him; he was supposed to protect his sorceress, and now Zell would be _Adel's_ plaything. "You never had a knight!"

The room filled with a hideous laughter and Seifer stopped struggling. Adel was laughing hard. Slowly Seifer realized he had been quite mistaken.

"I had a knight, once," Adel stated, taking his nails and raking them gently so not to do damage over Seifer's eyes. "He was weak. Pathetic."

"You killed him." Seifer stated worriedly. Adel chuckled.

"Yes. He was stupid and pointless. But Zell does not see you that way, and it sickens me." Adel tightened his grip. "He _loves_ you."

Seifer's face was turning blue and Adel let go, upset he could not finish his kill. "Do _not_ try to find him again," Adel hissed. "Or I will kill you both."

If looks could kill, Adel would have been dead as soon as Seifer had woken up. Alas, looks could not kill, and so Adel chuckled at the glares and angry eyes and stood. "Sleep," he cast, and Seifer fell on the bed. Adel looked around the room. After he was sure there was nothing of Zell's, he shut the door behind him. "Sweet nightmares, dear knight."

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Adel opened the door to see Odine finish drawing blood, the second part of his DNA gathering he had asked Adel for. His sorceress, his boy was sitting on a chair in this…laboratory room, and was completely tired. Adel frowned inside. That meant no fun for him tonight, but it did mean… other things, he remembered, and he grinned wickedly.

"Follow me," he told Zell, and Odine sighed and let Zell go, mumbling something about bunny outfits and pantyhose. Adel snuck a glance at the legs his boy had. Pantyhose would do nicely, he agreed.

Adel led Zell to a make shift room, what was to be Zell's personal quarters. "This is yours," Adel told him. "Odine cannot enter here."

Zell nodded, wiping his eyes of something. Adel licked his lips at the sight. This boy, this boy would be his undoing! Already his emotions were out of check. He hadn't felt this heated since…since… Adel could not remember, or would not, but at the moment, it didn't matter.

"Take your power and go," Zell whispered. Adel laughed, stroking the boy's face. Zell flinched, trying to feel upset but feeling a strange, growing sense of need emerging from his power. The power was coaxing his emotions to feel needy, Zell realized.

"How can I leave a sorceress in need?" Adel asked, pulling Zell a little too harshly. Zell landed on his chest, feeling surprised. Gasping, he made his statement.

"You're a man!" he cried in surprise. No, this wasn't happening. Now Adel suddenly looked a whole lot more attractive, and suddenly Zell could see those potions in the back of his head.

"Just like you. We're like brothers, you and I." Zell stepped back, shaking his head. No. Zell wasn't like Adel. _Seifer even said so, Seifer said, Seifer said…_Adel held his chin, almost as if reading his thoughts. "Yes, my knight lied to be as well," he stated.

The response was instantaneous. Zell had thrown a punch, but Adel had seen it and caught Zell's fist. Adel watched as Zell started crying, trying to coax Zell's power to feel more needy.

"Shh. Shh," Adel whispered, trying to sound comforting. "We will talk tomorrow. Rest."

Zell couldn't help himself- the shock, the weariness of what he had already been through, and the need for another human touch must have been ganging up on him. There was no other way he'd hug Adel back, crying into the older sorceress's arms.

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"How fairs the plan?" Adel asked, walking into the main laboratory. Odine stood with samples of semen and blood, investigating Zell's DNA sequence.

"Zoon I will have bunniez," Odine responded, trying not to drool.

Adel slapped him. "The Estar plan," he specified.

Odine rubbed his head. "Iz well. Laguna leavez for winhill in a few dayz. Kiroz…iz suddenly sick. Ward iz not understood when zey are not around."

Adel grinned his sickening grin. A few days to prepare, and he'd take this city back. His city, he corrected.

Odine was also happy. While Laguna was much nicer than Adel, he put many more restrictions on Odine's work. Odine couldn't do _anything_ he wanted. Odine then continued messing with the DNA.

"What is this?" Adel asked, not touching.

"Ziz? It iz for a clone. You wanted the boy," he spat harshly. "Zo I am making more of him- not ze zame. More zumbizzive, becauze I do not have your powerz of…perzuazivenezz." Odine looked up as Adel was also stuck in the fantasy. "He iz beautiful, no?"

"You have no idea. Even subconsciously, he repels me. But he will cave; he is confused and tired and you have left his spirit weak." Adel left then, to take care of some "personal" matters, as Odine and anyone who passed Adel in the hall saw. Odine was cool until the door shut and there were no more footsteps.

An empty beaker shattered across the door.

"He zhould have been mine!" Odine yelled, stamping his feet.

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Zell was in a dressing room, sadly preparing for his wedding. He didn't want to be married, not like this- and certainly not in a gown. It was pretty and all, but it also hurt him that no one had asked him what he wanted to wear- he was just placed in the gown because he was the sorceress. He bit his lip, staring at the make-up the faceless ladies of the castle had painted across his face. The flowers were ugly, black and weeping. His match had seen them and beheaded the gardeners instantly, but Zell had coaxed him out of it. It wasn't their fault; it was his match.

Zell wished he could remember his name.

There was a knock on the door. "Come in," Zell stated sadly. The blonde did just that, walking in and Zell backed away, tears in his eyes. "Seifer," he whispered. "You mustn't be here!" When the blonde shut the door, Zell backed to the window. "It's forbidden!"

The leader of Squall's Knights bowed to him. "I cannot, milady," he stated weakly. "I am hopelessly in love with you. If you marry him, my heart will die." He got up, tracing Zell's face.

It was flushed, almost red and Zell wasn't sure if it was from anticipation or a blush from the words. How typical that Seifer was always romantic. Zell leaned into him for a kiss, and Seifer responded instantly. Zell felt himself move from the window to the bed and Zell pulled away. "Seifer, it's forbidden," he whispered.

"It cannot be forbidden if I feel this strongly," Seifer stated with passion, though he was not loud. He continued kissing, and a hand trailed up Zell's leg.

"Seifer, I'm going to be married soon." Zell pulled away from those kisses and that… somewhat perverted touch, looking sadly at his Knight. "Adel will care for me."

"He will not!" Seifer told him, holding Zell, and Zell didn't struggle. "You will not be happy with him! He'll take your innocent spirit and crush it!"

"Innocent?" Zell asked, looking at his hands. "I've…I've killed, Seifer. I'm not as white as this dress." His eyes grew misty and Seifer wiped away would-be tears.

"You still believe that people are good inside," Seifer told him gently. "You believe in doing the right thing. I've seen you, you regret killing and try to make it as painless as possible. You'd rather leave people unconscious than destroy them."

Zell looked away. It was true, and he'd tried to hide that. He couldn't look at a face without wondering if the soldier had children, or a wife waiting at home. He'd often wonder maybe if he'd orphaned someone, just like he had.

Seifer took his hand. "Come. Let us escape now, and we can be free." Zell got up, then, following his knight out the door.

Seifer awoke in a cold sweat.

"Oh, fuck," he whispered, shaking. It was those _dreams_ again. He'd been sent them- dreams where everything was romantic, where everything ended up well, where people loved him. Ultimacia had sent those dreams, when he did well.

Ultimacia…Seifer growled and shook his head. Best not to think about it, he told himself. But if she was dead… then who was-

Zell. Zell was sending him dreams, and probably didn't know it. Seifer hit the covers, and the bed made a faint bleeting sound. He couldn't tell Zell to stop, because Zell wasn't here. He'd tried to get in the palace yesterday but Adel had also cast some paralysis spell, and he hadn't been able to leave the bed. He tried to swing his legs, but he couldn't, though he could bend them. He couldn't reach the phone.

He sighed. Some knight he'd been. He could protect Zell for a day, but when push came to shove he was actually a liability. Adel would take Zell and… Seifer shivered.

No. He'd give Zell hope, he'd let Zell know he was still not giving up. Maybe a lackey or someone could pass a message… Seifer lay back in bed, angry with himself.

What a fool he'd been.

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Zell had been waiting for quite some time since he'd been stuck in his room. Odine couldn't get to him, he found, but he also couldn't leave. Adel must have held the only key, and Zell really wanted food and a shower. There wasn't anything in the room, either, just a bed and a desk.

The door opened and Zell happily stood for an odd servant in a cloak. The face was covered. "Lord Adel wishes to see you," the servant stated. Zell followed the servant through corridors and halls he would never remember and stopped at a very large door. "He has arrived," the servant called. The door opened and another servant, in the same cloak, entered.

"Please come in, milady," the servant whispered. This one was a woman. Zell entered and his power seemed to roar to life, trying to move his emotions. Zell fought it with his strong sense of curiosity.

Adel sat at a table with a bowl of fruit as a centerpiece, random documents around. Zell realized the servant was taking off one bangle- just one, and she bowed and disappeared through the door. "I do not wish to be disturbed. Number three knows this."

"Three?" Zell asked. "You don't give them names?"

Adel shook his head and stood, focusing more on his power inside the boy than looking at him. "Are you not hungry?" he asked, and Zell said nothing. "Come, sit down, Zell. I invited you to breakfast."

Zell sat as far away from Adel as possible, cursing the man's long arms as one came to stroke his hand. Zell looked away, only obeying Adel's request so he wasn't hit, or so another bangle wasn't put on. Already his strength seemed to be returning, though his power was still acting oddly.

Adel held out an apple. Zell looked away from it, though he did sneak glances at it once or twice. "Why?" Zell finally asked. "Why did you take over this city?"

Ah, the past, Adel realized. He could talk about the past. Not today, with those i-pod things or the new weapons or the flying Centra weapons- the past was where he had lived, even in those years sealed up by the moon.

Adel smiled, setting the apple down. It was the smile he'd given when he fell to the earth, a smile that chilled Zell to the bone.

"I could tell you, but you seem so…wild. It's a _long_ story." Zell stopped tapping the table. "It's much easier to judge if you don't know."

Zell suddenly felt bad, though he didn't know why. Sympathy was overtaking him. "I'd…like to hear," he said. _It'll be inaccurate!_ He told himself. But he said nothing more.

Adel tossed him the apple, which Zell caught this time, despite the bangles. Zell ate rabidly. Those little fangs, Adel thought, a searing flash of heat in his gut. He licked his lips before starting.

"I was a decided sorceress at birth. My knight was chosen for me, and we got along… until he started picking on me. First it was my dress, then my weakness." Adel paused. "He was about five years older than me. Beautiful black hair, with pitch-black eyes. Things were different, then. I was thirteen, he was eighteen. He'd stopped being loyal at that time. He'd wander in with a woman every night. Sometimes the same, sometimes different."

Zell swallowed. "Oh. How did you…how did you…"

Adel's eyes glazed. "It was about two months before I inherited my powers. I was until then always being trained to by the older women, trained to by my parents. For his immaturity, the woman all struck him, several times. It was no beating, but it must have hurt…for he took it out on me. That night, he forced himself on one of the women, breaking her spirit. She was my predecessor. So she gave me her power and bound us together. In the next few years, I still had no idea what he had done, and I was… attached to him."

"You're gay?" Zell blurted out, then covered his mouth. "Sorry." Now he regretted those kisses, he regretted being here, because now he had a strange feeling Adel was after his ass.

"Nothing to be sorry about," Adel responded, and the feeling Zell had grew worse. Zell sat obediently in his chair as Adel continued.

"One day, I threw a fit and told him to send his woman of the evening away. He did, but he yelled at me for it. I told him he was my knight and he told me it was a stupid idea and we just yelled, back and forth and back and forth. Finally, he took a gun to his head and just fired…in front of me."

Adel watched as Zell's eyes grew teary. He was buying this hook, line and sinker.

"After that I decided knights were pathetic creatures, and I went around the world and tried to keep them from spreading, helping other sorceresses grow independent. But when I came to Estar, they tried to lynch me because I was a sorceress. So I was determined to control it and I did. But they still have not learned."

"Learned what?" Zell asked, the apple eaten.

"We are gods, Zell," Adel told him. Zell felt unsure of what to say to that. Adel didn't continue, realizing his credibility was creeping to a stop in the boy's mind. "We will discuss that later. That is my story, Zell. You would never grew, never blossom as a sorceress if I hadn't found you. We will train later." Adel smiled gently, looking in Zell's eyes.

They were still fighting his power inside him. Zell nodded and Adel let his hand go. "Perhaps you should enjoy a shower. I do not think you've had one for a while."

Zell nodded, looking down at the ground. Adel stood, coming around the table and behind Zell, roaming his hands through Zell's hair. His power sparked beneath the surface. "I suppose you are tired of being attacked here," Adel remarked. "Or raped."

"It wasn't rape," Zell whispered, trying to scoot into a ball. "He just…made…"

Adel stopped and gave him a protective hug. "Well, whatever it was, it is not to be tolerated." Zell nodded, relaxing. Adel continued ignoring his own beating heart and his own growing libido. "So, for your protection, you will bunk with me."

Zell tensed, jumping from the chair and glared at the legendary sorceress. "no way," he stated, eyes darting around.

Adel sighed and Zell suddenly felt submissive. "Come to me, Zell," Adel called.

Zell, against all rational thought, slowly walked into Adel's waiting arms. The strain of fighting this feeling became too much and he passed out, exactly how Adel wanted him.

Adel chuckled, kissing him lightly, reveling in the slight taste Zell's sleeping lips gave. He'd never been happier from the fact he could control his power. This boy would be worth it, so much more than what he originally thought.

Gently he lay the sorceress on the bed, and moved to the door to choose a new dress for him.

/He always obsesses over the people he wants/ came a voice, and Zell listened to it only briefly before returning to sleep.

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Sorry not much Seifer. Was going to put more, ran out of time.

Isn't Adel creepy?

Creepy, creepy, creepy!


	6. Chapter 5

Hey, everybody. Smaller chappie.

I've been counting my pairings, and I have quite a lot. Zell/Adel in this chappy.

Warnings: Yaoi. Man-Adel.

Disclaimer: Wish Square would just announce that Seifer and Zell are a couple, because Square owns them, not me.

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Chapter five

There was a buzzing on his door, and Odine growled, putting down the naughty picture of himself and Zell, completely drawn by hand (hence the bunny ears). Angrily he stormed to the door, opened it, and started to give the man a piece of his mind.

Instead, Seifer groin-kicked him and tossed him into the desk. He pointed his gunblade, eyes completely furious. Odine licked his lips. A dominant knight and a sexy sorceress… why, oh, why couldn't Hyne favor him and just give him control of both?

"Where is he?" Seifer hissed, shutting the door. "I know you've got him, and probably Kiros, too."

"Kiroz iz zick," Odine stated smugly, "and you may vizit him when you like."

Seifer fired his gun, and Odine winced. Realizing he was still alive, he gave a weak smile. "Ah, well, no bulletz meanz…"

"Galbadian Roulette," Seifer hissed, kicking the scientist.

Odine winced and angry threw a pen, and Seifer stabbed him lightly in the shoulder, something he'd recover from so Seifer could kill him later. "He iz wiz Adel! I cannot take you to him, or believe me," he stated, pulling the gunblade away, "I would. No beautiful iz worz my life."

Seifer growled, and took the blade away, cursing. "Damnit!" he kicked the door and the bottom hinges flew off.

"I could, of courze, take a mezzage…" Odine stated, realizing he could turn this horrible day around. "I need DNA, and for it, I'd be willing to pay you...one free mezzage to your boy. I do not zee him, of courze, now zat Adel haz taken him under his wing-"

"What?" Seifer demanded, and Odine held up a hand.

"Lizten to me. I take your mezzage, give to Zell through our networking zyztem." Odine licked his lips. "It iz good deal, yez?"

Seifer placed down his weapon, sighing. "I'll write the note," he stated, undoing his choker. "And give this to him."

Odine grinned, as Seifer glared at him, placing the choker in his pocket. "Good! I will make zure he getz it, becauze I am honezt, if quite inzane." Odine pulled Seifer over him. "Two wayz for DNA, and zen you go to Prezident, tell him, or SeeD, I do not care. Adel ztole my beautiful and I will see him punizhed." His hand trailed to the zipper of Seifer's pants, and Seifer's eyes closed.

"Just give him the message," he stated raggedly.

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Zell stretched. His shower was wonderful, and that was good. He was back into a dress, that was bad. His fear was ebbing away, and that was bad to the point of being ugly, usually a sign that something horrific was going to happen. During his entire day here the fight to flee had left him- perhaps it was the bangles, or something Adel did. Zell winced. His power seemed to try to force his emotions to change when Adel was around.

Edea never mentioned it. Though, Edea never really knew if he was a sorceress or not- he was sure he suspected, especially when Rinoa mentioned the light that had enveloped him. Matron had gasped and then invited him along as protection when she discussed things with Rinoa, usually sorceress things. Though he hadn't learned much, 'cause Rinoa would ask strange things, like, "what happens if I'm on my menstral cycle," or "why is it I can't use anything other than status changing magic? Why do I get wings when I can fly away or up high and do damage up where the enemy can't hurt me?"

So, Zell really didn't learn too much from those days.

Rinoa did know she was weaker than what she used to be. She knew she wasn't the same after Adel, not as strong, not as powerful.

And Adel knew about how strong Zell was. Earlier Adel had asked for a little bit of his power back, and Zell had gladly given it to him. It was a dazzling display of lights and emotions, and though Zell hadn't given Adel all his power, it was somehow heartening, like Zell was becoming human again.

Servants winced as Zell shut the last huge book he'd been trying to study. It was at Adel's insistence, and he'd been studying for some time. Rubbing his eyes, he got up and stretched, then shadowboxed. As his fists and feet moved, so did his thoughts.

He knew why he wasn't being affected by GFs anymore. Why Doomtrain could hit him and the effects wear away within seconds, Irvine had been completely shocked. The status thing was Rinoa's ability. He could heal away status magic freely.

He had Edea's ability. Not only did ice spears suddenly emerge, but he could manipulate fire and lightning as well and it was really, really cool, if he did say so himself.

He had Ultimacia's ability. Two, actually. He could give life to objects, as he found out earlier, and he was pretty sure he could send out dreams, though he hadn't tried. Though last night he had cried out to Seifer… Zell shook his head, kicking his shadow in the butt.

But he still didn't know Adel's ability, even with it.

Familiar hands presented themselves to Zell's scalp. Adel's power surged through him again, making him feel safe and submissive, though he didn't wish to feel either. Red hair, even redder than Irvine's, fell over his shoulder and purplish skin was in his peripheral vision.

"Studying hard?" Adel whispered in his ear. Zell nodded, shivering from the slight chill Adel seemed to give off. _Think of Seifer…Think of Seifer…_

"I brought dinner. Salad and some hot dogs."

Zell turned to look at him, trying not to drool. "Hot dogs?" he asked.

Adel poked his nose. "A whole plate of them, just for you."

Zell's face lit up like a candle and he moved to put the books away as fast as he could while Adel set the table. The servants had disappeared again. Sitting down, Zell noted he was much closer to Adel than before, and he was much hungrier than he had thought. Salad was set before him and Zell wondered briefly what the strange colored salad dressing was.

Adel managed to sit before him; his height ensured he'd be able to reach anything his boy would want. He placed a hot dog next to the salad and smirked as Zell took on a whole different expression. Such a pretty boy.

Adel took a bite of salad and Zell dived into the green leaves, taking smaller sizes so he could then save his jaw more a lot more hot dog.

There was an odd flavor to the dressing, a vinegar Zell was sure he had tasted before, though not in dressing. Yet the leaves were crisp and the radishes tasted good, and Zell finished the salad quickly, helping himself to the hot dogs. Adel watched amusedly as his pretty young sorceress wolfed them down with amazing speed. _What a gift…_ Zell finished quickly and finished the meal with his water.

"Hungry?" Adel asked, and Zell blushed. Adel chuckled. "At least you're eating." He patted Zell's hand. "I'd get more, but resources are limited."

Somehow Zell couldn't care about why resources were limited and just kept drinking in Adel's eyes. "I-It's okay."

Right after those words, just like that, Adel was kissing him, demanding his compliance. Zell was screaming in his head and it faded as he responded, letting Adel's tongue explore his own mouth, teasing the invader though not enough to anger him. Adel's hands stroked Zell's sides and as soon as he had come, he pulled back. Zell actually made a noise. He wanted those lips back on his, those red eyes drinking in his form, those hands on him, those nails running down his sides.

Adel stood, moving to the bed and walking slowly, knowing Zell was staring at him like one of those hot dogs he had just eaten. "Have you learned anything?" Adel asked, lazily stretching on the bed and lay down on it.

_Oh, yes,_ Zell's mind said. "I've learned a lot," Zell admitted, scratching his skin absentmindedly at the tingle. "Like why I can make ice spears and such."

Adel nodded. "Good. It would be pointless to have you learn nothing." Noting Zell hesitated, he sat up, drinking in the boy with the dress, the one whose hands could kill him if he let his guard down. The blonde was fighting with his dress, probably trying to deny everything Adel had made sure he felt.

Zell was breathing deeply, knowing Adel would kill him if he attempted to get what he wanted. Oh, he could barely move, it was this strong. He felt so flushed, and Adel looked so dominant, and he thought more dirty thoughts before staring into those red eyes.

"Something with your dress, Zell?" Adel asked, standing and walking over. Zell nodded, bangs falling into his face. Adel placed his hands on Zell's shoulders, took the sipper in his mouth, and pulled it down, happily seeing how low the sipper went. Kissing gently along Zell's spine, he managed to slip Zell out of his dress, the boy whimpering as he fell into Adel's chest. Adel curled his arms around the near-naked boy, kissing around the choker.

"Adel…" Zell moaned, distracted of all guilt by the play of Adel's hand on his chest. "Adel, please…" Zell choked on his words, shame filling him. Before he could scold himself, Adel whispered in his ear.

"Please what, boy?" Adel asked, licking the ear on the inside and out.

This caused much squirming until the blonde realized he quite enjoyed it. Zell knew what it was he wanted; it felt very similar to what Odine had forced on him. But this wasn't forced, this was sudden, this wasn't creepy and perverted in front of cameras or on the examination table. Zell could only make a small noise to tell Adel, a whimper.

Since when had he been so submissive? It didn't matter, he wanted Adel inside him. "Adel…"

Adel's hand dipped into his returned boxers, and Zell gasped, his hands on Adel's wrist almost painfully. "Yes…please, Adel…"

Adel nuzzled Zell's neck. "What is it you want, boy?"

Zell swallowed. "Fuck me, Adel!" he begged, tugging on Adel's dress. Adel stopped, hands trailing slightly back to Zell's chest. Zell actually whined.

"Shh, boy," Adel stated, grinding his hips against Zell's ass, letting Zell feel him. "I'm quite big. Are you-" He paused as Zell was shamelessly grinding back. Zell's hands wrapped around the back of Adel's neck and it was too delicious.

"Please." The voice had need laced all within it, and the husky promise around it had Adel shaking. Oh, the boy could creep into his head, his emotions. Adel pulled on Zell's boxers, leading him to the bed and lay Zell down. Going over to the door he flicked off the lights. The only light left was by the bed, illuminating the perplexed looking on Zell's face. Adel unhooked his dress, holding it up as he softly instructed Zell to take off his boxers.

Oh, Zell was beautiful. Zell looked at him, waiting, calling Adel to him with his eyes. Adel dropped the dress, walking over to Zell, watching as his eyes got big and his panting continued. They wrapped hands around each other, gasping for each other as their lengths touched.

"Adel!" Zell cried, and Adel kissed him reassuringly, though it wasn't like Seifer. The kisses were around his chest and Adel latched onto a nipple, his hand searching for the lube he always had. As he found it, he coated his hand in it and pressed a finger into Zell. Adel was impatient to watch his boy come. Zell couldn't help but cry out as the finger slipped inside him.

Adel licked Zell's lips, searching around before he reached in with two fingers. Then he scissored them, moving them around, listening to Zell as Zell breathed raggedly, moans and whimpers in his breath.

"Please, Adel," Zell whimpered, thrusting hips a little more.

Suddenly Zell gasped, loosing all control he had left. He reached up and tried to force Adel's hand further. "Ohh... Adel, please…ahhh…"

Grinning wickedly, Adel removed his fingers in time to Zell's breathing.

Slowly, he positioned himself and penetrated the boy. Zell was gasping and withering better than any effect the Pain spell would have.

"Oh, Oh, Adel," Zell moaned again. "Ha- harder…"

Adel complied, watching hungrily as Zell's head flew back, throat exposed. Unable to help himself, Adel dived in for the flesh and suckled it harshly, the collar falling to the floor.

Zell spasmed and came suddenly, crying out and his back arched and Adel smirked into Zell's neck. Yes, his boy had been worth it. Was still worth it.

"Zell," Adel breathed, coming after him, locked in a bliss he'd only been in once before. As they calmed down, Adel pulled out and pulled Zell to him. The last thing Zell saw before passing out was the red hair covering them both, and he willingly set his head against Adel's chest.

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His ass hurt, Zell remembered. He opened his eyes and was aware of strands of red hair over him and his choker was gone. His power was simmering within him, the bangles threatening to burst with the strongest one gone. There was a hand on his hip, he realized.

The entire night's events played out in his head, and Zell felt sick. Really sick. He squirmed out of the bed and made it to the toilet before his stomach heaved and he vomited, tears pouring down his face. Each time he urped he just felt worse, and by the time he finished, he was shaking violently.

"Seifer," he whispered before he almost vomited again, so desperate to feel Seifer's arms, to hear his voice tell Zell it was all right. But Seifer wasn't there, only Adel…

Adel, Zell leaned over the toilet again, still trying to avoid the squeezing of his stomach. What had he done? Why had he done this?

"Seifer," he whispered again, wanting to feel Seifer's warm chest, the security the taller blonde offered.

He could almost hear Seifer's voice, could almost se Seifer's face and as he looked down, he realized he didn't know where he was. He looked up, seeing a familiar face.

It wasn't Seifer. It was Rinoa. Rinoa looked at him worriedly.

"Get Seifer!" Zell called out to her. "Get my knight!"

Rinoa's face turned to shock. "He is your knight?" she asked, horrified. "He came to us last night and begged for Squall to listen, but Squall had him placed in custody instead. If he's your-" she fell silent.

"He is!" Zell yelled at her again.

Suddenly everything shattered and Zell was flung out of the link, realizing Adel was replacing the bangles on his arm as an effort to keep him quiet. His power flared angrily, but then died down as Adel placed a drop of some concoction on his lips.

Zell was unable to move, and yet his power was still strong. He could see Adel as Adel glared over him. Adel picked him up and flushed the toilet, throwing him onto the bed in the same manner he had Seifer. With that, Adel fell on top of him.

As soon as he realized Zell was looking at him, he slapped Zell quite hard, even for the martial artist's standards. "Stupid boy!" he yelled. "You'd spoil everything!"

Zell felt a tear roll down his cheek. He wanted to spoil everything, so he could see Seifer again. Seifer'd even bit his pride and gone back to Squall for him.

Adel calmed a little at the tear. "But you don't know where to lead them. And you won't leave." Suddenly Adel was tightly holding him, crushing him, almost. "Not like he did." And with that, Adel kissed Zell gently and pulled off.

"I'm going to kill that knight of yours," Adel told Zell, and Zell whimpered.

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Adel hadn't come back, and Zell was grateful for that. He found he eventually could move, though the hours had passed. Zell was presently looking at a closet that was completely closed, and it seemed to have the same lock as his choker. Something called to him from inside it, though he couldn't open it at all. Sighing, he moved back to the chair, the simple movements almost exhausting.

What had Adel done to him? He angrily leaned back in his chair.

The door opened and a smell attacked his senses. Sighing, he looked at Odine, who was grinning evilly. Zell swallowed.

"Hello, my pretty. I have a mezzage for you."

Zell didn't say anything, knowing Adel could, and would, do anything to him at this moment. Odine chuckled walking behind him. "Head up," he sated, and Zell obeyed, his eyes starting to unfocus. Something metal attached itself around his neck, and he lifted his hand up to it. "You zhould be mine," Odine whispered.

Zell simply nodded, and a piece of paper was handed to him. Odine petted Zell's head and left, taking the smell with him. Zell's thought returned and he felt the choker. It was only a thin strip of metal and…

Hyne, it was Seifer's, he realized. Quickly he undid the note reading it.

_Zell- I'll be there as soon as I can. I'm asking SeeD to help, but I may have to go in by myself. I'll get you out, I promise. I love you._

_-Your knight,_

_Seifer._

Zell smiled and held the note to his chest, the only thing that had made him happy in a long while. He looked up at the closet and realized that something else was radiating from it. Sadness, regret. He took a step closer.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you," came a voice, and Zell jumped. He turned to face a servant. "The Sorceress does not like his things to be touched."

"What's in it?" Zell asked, and his face turned to horror as the Servant explained.

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See, this is what makes life fun, these cliffhangers. Anyway. My pairs for this fic: Adel/Zell, Odine/Zell, Seifer/Zell (Zell gets laid a lot in this fic, actually), Seifer/Odine. Not really your average parings, and that's what makes it fun to write. Adel enjoys this side of him, too, 'cause he can threaten to do other things to Zell if he can't touch Zell once a chapter or so.


	7. Chapter 6

Starting disclaimer: Square owns them, and I play with them! Or, more realistically, they play amongst themselves…

Warnings: …fufufufufu. Now, that would spoil a lot.

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Chapter 6

There had been explosions all day, and Zell was moved back from Adel's room into his. Zell guessed Adel was conquering Esthar as he'd told Zell he would. So, in his windowless room, he studied books and books and occasionally fingered his choker, waiting for Seifer.

He had no doubt in his mind Seifer would come for him, and the feeling had grown stronger and stronger as the time passed. He could barely contain his excitement, even as an explosion grew a little too close for comfort and the glasses rattled. Seifer was coming. Zell fingered the choker again.

There were no more calls from the cabinet, perhaps though due more to location than knowledge. Zell shivered. Things like that were creepy. Who kept their dead, suicidal knight's ashes in a cabinet?

Speaking of which, it was later at night, and Adel hadn't contacted him all-

_Cue the servant,_ Zell thought bitterly.

"My sorceress," came a small voice. Zell stood up, wondering if there were more notes. "Adel wishes to see you." The servant bowed their apology of their intrusion on Zell's solitude.

Zell undid the choker, and as he did waves of guilt poured through him. He was sleeping with the enemy. He was betraying his knight and still he couldn't get out of this situation. If he didn't go willingly, he'd be forced to, and he didn't want to think about how Adel would drag him down to the room. Seifer wouldn't want him if he found out, he realized. Seifer thought that maybe he was saving Zell, but if he found out Zell was no more than a whore, he'd leave in an instant. Tears started pouring down his cheeks and Zell couldn't stand up. He shoved the books out of the way and held his head in his arms. The servant seemed flustered at this. Usually, one obeyed Adel without question. No one acted on their impulse to cry. No one, not even the servants as Adel punished them or when Odine used them for experimenting.

She left, saying nothing. Zell looked at the choker, watching as the light glimmered from its smooth, polished surface and shoved it in a drawer. Seifer wouldn't have to look at him again, but neither could Adel. Adel couldn't have this, Adel couldn't have him. Maybe if he stood up to Adel, he'd be worthy of Seifer.

Or maybe he was just a whore. Zell felt the tears again.

The servant had now reached Adel's room, where the red-haired sorceress was waiting. "I am sorry, my sorceress," she told him. "But he is crying, and he cannot find it in himself to stand."

Adel's eyes narrowed and he was out of the room in an instant, knowing what thoughts would accompany the ones Zell was feeling. He started coaxing the little power he had still in Zell to comfort the blonde boy, though all he could feel was a sense of dread. He had not worked this hard to have the boy end up like his own Knight, after all.

The door surprisingly opened gently as Adel entered Zell's room. A pitiful sight lay before him, his beautiful boy crying into his arms. The comfort Adel was giving was not enough, and Adel decided he would need a more…friendly approach, not one of a king to a queen. Something to show they were equals, he decided, picking up a chair and setting it on the other side of the desk. The servants stayed outside, as was their place, and did not enter.

Gently, which was an uncommon touch from his hand, he petted the boy's arm. "Zell?" he asked, and Zell looked up briefly with hope in his eyes. The hope died down as soon as the boy's eyes met his face and the boy sat up, rubbing at puffy red eyes. Even his hair was a mess, and the dress was slightly wet.

"Zell?" Adel asked again, trying to pour unfamiliar emotions into his words. He tried for care and he was starting to get condescending. "Are you okay?"

Zell backed away, shaking his head. "Get away from me," Zell told him. Adel's eyes flashed with anger and previous events occurred before his eyes. Zell must not end up like that, Adel told himself. "Get away!"

"Zell. I want to help you," Adel cooed, trying to coax his power to gently persuade Zell to believe him. "I want to know how to make my pretty's tears stop."

Zell snarled at him, actually snarled at him. "Your _whore_," he corrected angrily, standing up and putting up his fists defensively. "I'm just your _whore_."

The words, he realized, were not meant to excite him and Adel stood as well. Also, the words were far too close to the others and Adel held out his hands. "Come, Zell. I would never bed you if you did not want it." He refrained from adding that Zell had been begging the last time, such statements were not going to help, though it had been lovely.

Zell shook, his fists getting ready to fly. "You…you manipulated me," Zell responded suddenly. "Like now."

Adel's eyes narrowed and he realized the boy must not learn the truth. "Nonsense," Adel lied, smiling gently. "I do not manipulate those I care about."

Zell's fists flew, and Adel managed to place a protect in time. The boy gave out a roar, punching the shield repeatedly. The shield was wearing, and Adel did not need this now.

"Stop, Zell," Adel told him gently. "If this is what you think then you may think it, but I know it is not true. You are not my fuc- whore." Adel almost caught himself saying scarily too familiar words. "You are not a whore to anybody. You are a sorceress, beautiful and graceful, and you deserve to be treated as such."

The fists had fallen to the blonde's side and Adel wrapped Zell in a hug. "Shh, boy. All will be well." Zell nodded blankly, though it was obvious he did not believe the older sorceress. Adel picked Zell up, bringing back emotion to the blonde's face.

"Adel, what-"

"I'm taking you to what I called you for." Adel told him, chuckling. "It's nothing horrifying, I promise." Zell swallowed and nodded, placing his hands around Adel's neck for support.

Oh, Seifer'd be pissed at this, if he ever found out.

Adel led him to his room, but instead of setting Zell on the bed, he moved to the bathroom. There was a bath drawn, and different liquids and such decorating around it. Zell squirmed to flee, but Adel held him.

"There are new things to discover about your power," Adel whispered almost dominantly, and Zell decided to stay, and Adel set him down. As soon as Zell was down, Adel undid the ribbon that held Zell's dress together in the back.

"Adel?" Zell asked, a thought coming to him.

"Yes?" Adel responded.

"Why don't we have zippers on our dresses?" Zell continued. Adel grinned and wrapped the ribbon gently around Zell's neck, tying it into a bow.

"If you had a zipper, I'd never be able to see your back," Adel told him, letting a finger run down Zell's spine. Zell arched and those thoughts came back to him. "But get in the bath. There are potions and powders that could get you higher than any drug here."

Zell took off the dress, closing his eyes as he knew Adel gasped at the sight of him. Adel grinned when Zell couldn't find it in himself to move, so he picked up the boy and placed him in the bath, ribbon and all. Zell squirmed. The water was almost scalding.

Adel chuckled as he brought out the first potion. This would satisfy the boy's power, make it happy and dormant, like a kitten. "This will cure the hunger your power has," he told Zell. "Tell me how much you want, if you want any." Let the boy think he had a choice. Tonight, he was running his hands down those arms and those bangles were coming off.

There were many bottles, but there were really three main potions with different scents. One for calming the power, one for submission, and one for getting the other excited, though he hoped not to use that one. That would spoil his fun. And it may invoke other ideas in the blonde, ideas that Adel really didn't want. He could tease his boy and then pull away, leaving a very, very frustrated amount of feelings and a huge amount of confusion. When there was confusion, Adel could morph the feelings then to have his boy completely in his grasp.

But for now, Zell looked at the bottle, strangely not feeling all that naked around this man. "Can I try a little?" he asked, and Adel applied it to his back.

Suddenly Zell was content. His power seemed to happily lap at the liquid and it seemed to sleep contentedly afterwards. Zell suddenly felt independent of it, and while he knew it wasn't gone completely it was as if a great burden had been left from him, and Zell closed his eyes. He felt normal again. "How long will this last?" he asked quietly, much too interested in the benefits than the fact Adel was making shapes in the goo on his back.

"The more you put on, the longer it lasts. Water makes it stronger. If I were to place this all over your arms, legs and torso, it'd last for about a day." Adel smirked as Zell's eyes got wider.

"A day?" Zell asked, amazed. "I can feel like a person for a day?" He looked up at the sorceress, though Adel was hardly comforting.

Adel set Zell back, holding the bottle in front of him, leaning against the bath to place his head on Zell's shoulder. "I don't use it often, it can be quite addictive. I'm sure Edea used it quite often. See, some sorceresses, they don't like their power, but I'm sure you're quite different. Sometimes it takes a while before you can see how _useful_ your gifts are." Adel kissed Zell's neck softly. "But I'm sure you'd be happy for a day? I'm sure the power came as quite a shock, and most people try to enjoy their 'freedom' before acquiring it. Regretfully, you had no choice in the matter."

Was Adel trying to make up to him? Zell took the bottle, looking at it. Adel was right, this had been a huge, sudden burden on him and he hadn't been prepared at all. His time with Seifer was a prime example. Was Adel sorry? Zell stopped thinking as Adel let another drop hit his chest. The power happily surged forth, and then scampered deeper away.

"Can I drink it?" Zell asked, holding the bottle. He wanted this damn thing to go away, he wanted to be a person again. Adel chuckled.

"It's poisonous," Adel told him softly. "But I will teach it to you if you like." Adel stroked Zell's arm, the lotion slipping on the bangles. "Let's get these off, you'll grow weak soon if you have them on."

Zell nodded and the two set to the task- not breaking them, as Seifer had done, but saving them, almost. As soon as they were off Zell could see he was going to need some serious training- he still had muscle, but it wasn't being used often, and it was starting to show. Adel traced his arm, breath hitching.

"I've never seen such milky skin," came the whisper in Zell's ear. Adel took the bottle back, then, leaving Zell to undo the other arm. It wasn't hard, and Zell was so at task that he managed to ignore the mixing of liquids into a similar container.

Adel grinned. Submission and a power calmer would ensure Zell would stay in his room for the night. He applied the new liquid to the boy's arms, the glop the same color, same smell as before. Zell happily sighed as the hands roamed over him, only tensing as they moved to his abdomen. The hands however, stopped and got back up. Adel moved to the other side of the tub, then, starting with Zell's feet.

"I think, if you weren't an evil dictator, you'd make an excellent masseuse," Zell told him dreamily. "This is the best massage I've ever had." Somehow his angry thoughts of Adel had slipped, all he knew was that Adel was really talented, really handsome, and really, really…Zell couldn't care and just sighed happily in the water.

"I'll let you finish your bath," Adel told him, taking the dress and stuffing it in a laundry basket. The famed sorceress left, then, though the door was wide open in invitation.

The water felt good, and Zell didn't feel like leaving. He felt like cuddling and kissing and he deeply wanted Seifer to be with him.

"Zell?" came a cry, and Zell looked up, though he couldn't see anyone. It had sounded like Rinoa. Realizing his stupidity, he hit his head. Of course he couldn't hear her- his power was dominant, as if bangles were still on him. Adel must have known that. Zell looked around for something he could use against Adel- maybe the powdered dragon bone would be in here. Zell got up, rinsing the goop off and pulled the drain. There were large, fluffy towels and he wrapped himself in one as he opened a cabinet.

Hundreds of bottles, some empty, some filled, were cluttered in the tiny space. Zell gasped, wondering where to start. No wonder Odine could come back with a different potion every night. There were different labels, such as, "vocal", or "fiery", or even "biting" and Zell wondered how Adel knew them all. How would one find the ingredients to make such a potion? The only way he knew about the dragon bone is because Odine let it slip.

"Zell?" A call from a now-worried Adel, realizing Zell was opening things, things he didn't want discovered. "Zell, come here."

Zell didn't want to, not with this discovery, but his legs moved him up. He came, obedient as his mind decided to get Adel back for this. Adel probably mixed some of these things in his salad dressing last night, which meant-

Which meant he wasn't a whore. Zell smiled to himself at the thought. Seifer might still put up with him after all.

Adel noted the smile and started growing angry that the blonde had indeed figured out his potions. Growling, he moved over to the bed, wondering how he could confuse the blonde even more, wondering how he could gain control over this.

"What's wrong?" Zell asked him.

"I was wondering if you could get me a drink," Adel told him, trying to be nice. Plans formed in his mind. "But as you are out of the bathroom, I will get drinks for the both of us." Adel stood and Zell stepped in his way.

"Umm…no." Zell stated quickly. This was perfect- he could drug Adel and then run for freedom. And even if he couldn't, Adel would be furious at the sight of his potions being looked at. "It's no trouble, if you could find me something to…slip into," he added with a sultry tone. Adel grinned and Zell turned, thanking Hyne for this chance.

The boy would be punished, but Adel would enjoy it. Adel cackled inside. Oh, he knew how to give the boy his due. The only clear potion in there was one he knew well, and it wasn't quite clear at all. And the cups he had were all glass, the boy was doomed to fail.

" 'Playful slave'," Zell read. "_This _looks interesting." He poured the translucent liquid into the glass, wondering what Adel would be like if he drank it. Zell shrugged, supposing he'd find out.

/He knows, came a thought, but Zell shoved it away. Adel couldn't have known, Adel couldn't have seen him. He poured some of the liquid, not all, and then placed the bottle back as carefully as he could. He filled the glasses then with water and noted that Adel's had a slight blue looking tint to it. He winced.

As he emerged, Adel was holding up _another_ dress, though this was one was more like something Rinoa wore to the party. A nightgown, Zell's mind informed him. Zell set the water down. "Why is it always dresses with you?"

"It matches your bow," Adel told him curtly and took a sip of Zell's water. Zell blanched.

"That was my glass," he stated worriedly.

"We can switch, if it's that much of a problem," Adel told him, and Zell took back the glass. Adel looked at his own- indeed, there was a blue tint. Zell had used that potion, after all. Adel pretended to sip, and set it down. Zell's eyes grew wide, his face giving away his trump card. "Dresses are also easier to fuck in," the taller sorceress stated then. "You lift up the dress, have a quickie, and then return to your dictatorship and no one's the wiser. With pants, you have to zip them up and slid them back up."

Zell choked on his own water. That was really too much information. He was wearing a dress so Adel could have a quickie with him? Adel was shifting in his seat, almost like he was…well, in heat. "Zell," Adel asked, pretending to sip again. "Kiss me," Adel moaned, and took a huge gulp of water, some dribbling down his chin. Adel swallowed, and Zell leaned forward, pressing their lips together. He supposed he could humor his captor a little, and opened his mouth gently.

With that, the water was suddenly forced into his mouth and he swallowed involuntarily. _Oh, fuck oh fuck oh fuck…_ He'd just drunk… the potion….

"Silly boy," Adel stated, offering the water. "You should get dressed, and have some water." Zell suddenly took it, finishing it off and his mind screamed at him for it. Zell was thirsty, and finished off his glass, too.

Adel smirked and pulled the dress on Zell. "I think it's sleepy-time," Adel taunted, and Zell shook his head.

"No, sir, I want to play!" came the words from Zell's mouth, and his face showed horror as he spoke them.

"Play?" Adel perked up. "Just what would we play?"

Zell came over to him then, pressing against the man and grinding himself shamelessly against the older sorceress. "Play," the younger sorceress whispered in Adel's ear. Adel shivered. "Please, sir," came the heated addition.

Adel traced the blonde's sides down to his hips, much enjoying this new side of Zell. "Why should we play? You've been naughty, trying to get me to drink that potion."

_He knew!_ Zell thought angrily, _That bastard knew!_ "You pretended to swallow, huh?" Zell stated, giggling. A finger drew its way down the purple-tinted stomach. "Can you swallow in other ways?"

Adel simply let his smirk speak for him.

The thoughts Zell was having and the actions he was doing didn't match. His power was dormant, and so he wouldn't be able to fight off the potion like he had when Seifer found him. Zell moved to a chair, crossing his legs to hide Adel's eyes from whatever was underneath, though it was a sad attempt to hide in the sheer fabric.

Oh, his boy was so beautiful. Adel had many games he could play, he had many ideas he could use. He slipped out of his dress and lay down on the bed, Zell watching intently.

"Zell, be a good boy and hand me that feather over there." Zell happily did as he was told, getting a very long, very full feather. Zell climbed over the bed, and Adel took it. "I think, to enjoy this game, you'll need your nightgown off."

It came off, while the real Zell refused to watch any longer. He sadly listened as Adel instructed him to sit on his chest, bouncing slightly. He felt tingles as the feather rubbed up against him in new places, 'causing him to stop and giggle.

Adel gave him a small slap for stopping.

"Bad Zell," he teased, and Zell slinkily lay on top of the older man. Adel blinked. "What is it now, boy?" (1)

Zell whispered his request and Adel couldn't help but loose control at that. Zell was flipped over instantly, much to his delight, and Adel got off the bed hurriedly to search for a rope. When his search was over, he wasted no time tying the blonde's hands together and to the bed. Zell tested the bonds, they were strong, almost unbreakable, and that made him hot.

_I don't believe this…_

Adel then continued his feather-attack, letting the tickling item rub under Zell's chin, having the boy jerk up and down with laughter. The feather moved to more sensual places, and then the boy was begging him, and Adel wondered if he should have gagged the boy. He did look beautiful from this angle, tied up and hair in face, and begging.

It only took the begging, but it still was a pretty picture. Adel licked his lips.

"Adel, please, please, please," came the words from Zell's mouth and his brain was starting to follow. _Stupid potion!_

Adel's hands ran along Zell's arms, and Adel started to speak. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are, boy? Your hair is like gold, your skin is smooth like silk, and yet you are powerful. You are elegance. You are a god."

Zell blushed and Adel leaned over him, almost touching their lips together. "Everything a perfect sorceress should be," Adel whispered before plunging into Zell's mouth. Zell whined and struggled against the rope, wanting Adel inside him. Adel adjusted so they rubbed against each other and Zell started shamelessly to thrust his hips up. Adel pulled back. "Zell, I thought you weren't a whore, and I have no want to treat you as such."

"I_ am,_" the youth responded heatedly, raggedly. "I am _so_ a whore, sir, I want to be tied up and fucked mercilessly. Come in me, sir, please, I want to feel you inside me, I want you to own me…" Zell watched in shame as his mouth poured out these words and then the potion _really _took effect, enough to douse his thoughts. Zell's legs suddenly kicked Adel and threw him off the bed, and Adel got up, furious. Zell giggled. "Do I get a whipping now, sir? I've been baaaaad."

Adel pulled out a whip from the drawer he had landed against as the anger vanished.

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Adel awoke first this time, pulling the boy to him. He'd have to use that potion more often, the boy was really a tease when he wanted to be. They had ended in the bedroom, but Zell needed to be cleaned again and that was why they had the shower together- Adel kissed a welt that merged with a scrape gently. He'd even gotten the boy to call him "Master" and Adel got completely hard at that thought, and the once-fantasies were now memories and they haunted him. Once he was finished brainwashing the boy, he was sure they could have several amounts of playtime together.

The boy moaned and Adel stroked his arms. They never ceased to amaze the red-haired man. Neither was it uninteresting when the blonde spread his legs for him, looking behind his shoulder invitingly. Adel shivered and pressed his chest to the boy's back, nestling his heat between Zell's legs. Blonde lashes fluttered open and Adel kissed him gently.

"How do you feel?"

"Tired, sir," came the reply. The potion wasn't completely off, and Adel resisted the urge to take advantage of it. Well, not resisted. Rethought would be a better term for it, Adel informed himself. He would not, would not take the boy this morning.

Hand-jobs were not the same as taking. "Do you hurt?" Adel asked, and Zell nodded wearily.

"It doesn't matter, sir, I'll be…" Zell suddenly started crying, and Adel held him tightly. "I'll be…" The rational thought must have been catching up, so Adel left him and got dressed, shutting the door behind him, as much as he did not want to. It would be best if he did not take advantage of the boy in this state, to make it seem that Zell was opening up to Adel on his own.

Zell's tears flowed as he remembered the evening. He knew without a doubt Seifer would never want him now, and he pulled on the dress Adel had left for him. He slumped back onto the bed, crying harder than he had last time.

/_I know what this is like…_ / came a voice, and Zell looked up. The cabinet was calling him, and it wasn't cooing to him, it was simply stating facts that Zell would like to know. Zell opened the cabinet door, and ashes floated around him, as if Zell was the eye of a hurricane. Through the ashes, Zell could almost see a face. / _Don't think yourself a fucktoy, kid, because you're not._ /

"But what I did…" Zell realized the ashes were lightly wiping away his tears. "I really am…"

Two bright blue eyes as bright as his own looked at him through the mini-dust storm. / _You didn't ask to take those potions. You didn't ask to be used like this, kid. I know. Adel is mean and selfish- he'll take care of you like a pet. I'm sure he'll give you a dress or something tonight. See, he'll call you all sort of things- beautiful, as long as you stay with him. Your knight, kid, tell me, did he take advantage of you with those potions/ _There was a hand under his chin and Zell shook his head.

"No," Zell responded, sorting things out. Adel did not care for him, Adel was _not_ sorry. "But Seifer doesn't want…he doesn't want me now."

_/ He'd be a selfish knight if he didn't understand. This isn't your fault, kid, no more than it was mine. / _Suddenly Zell could see long blonde hair in a pontytail, a face almost like his own. Adel's story flew out of his mind and different pieces were fitting into the puzzle inside his head. _/ You aren't yourself with those potions; you're what Adel wants you to be. I suggest trying to be romantic with your food, sharing pieces, seeing which Adel eats and which he doesn't. Don't try to drug him; he knows his potions. And above all/ _ The ashes moved back into the urn and the cabinet shut again as Zell was left speechless, _/ Remember your knight is coming. / _

Zell said a thank-you as he left the room, wanting to get Seifer's choker back as soon as possible. Somehow the dead knight had brought more hope than Odine had, and Zell felt something else inside himself- confidence. He tried contacting Rinoa, tried getting her to respond, but she wouldn't. Zell blamed it on the power and opened his door, where servants were busy taking care of food or such. "My sorceress," came a startled reply, though the emotion was well-hidden, "we did not expect you."

"It's okay," Zell told them, smiling. "I don't mind if you do your jobs while I'm here."

The servants also seemed to smile, but they did not look at him. He would not be like Adel, they knew. He would not enslave them or hit them or yell at them. He would be kind.

As soon as they left Zell opened the drawer and pulled out the choker, kissing it. "I love you, Seifer," he whispered, hoping Seifer could hear him.

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Delta banter: Zell would like to add he is most definitely not a whore, unless Seifer or Adel has him in a closet. That is most distracting to write with as odd little sounds so through the door, it sounds like… like… well, like someone's a whore.

Ow, Zell, don't hit me!

1. slinkily- this may or may not be a word, but think of it as "smoothly, playfully" in case it isn't.

See you all next time.


	8. Chapter 7

Delta's banter: Remember kids, this is a much older fic than CK, so this is where CK got one of its plot devices. I just love those, it makes for much angst and angst makes people upset and ect.

Oh, right. No spoilers.

Disclaimer: ... Square owns them. I make no profit off of them.

Warnings: …… … Not gunna tell.

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The choker fell to the ground, breaking. Zell blinked, picking it up. Worriedly he looked at it- the chain had snapped and was easily repairable. Seifer was going to be mad when he found out. Zell started trying to fix it, but it would need a small set of pillars and then it would be okay.

The bombings had stopped, Zell noted, not sure if that was a good or bad sign. He was back in his room, and Adel had sent him a dress as an apology, just like the knight had said.

Shaking his head, Zell realized that dead ashes didn't talk. He sighed and opened another thick book, this one with magic-control. The book closed and Zell was tempted to rest on it like a pillow. There was also a sewing kit, one Zell and used to make a small pocket on his dress, and he inserted the choker there now. His neck felt bare without the piece of metal. It had been like Seifer was kissing him back whenever he wore it.

Sudden waves of dread took him over and he sat down. Something was horribly, horribly wrong. His gut clenched and his face suddenly broke out into sweat- even his power, which was slowly coming to life was screaming. The power was angry, and it was flaring up- against Zell's own will.

He could almost feel Rinoa as she stood in shock, watching something that Zell couldn't make out. He could feel Adel and Adel smirked, though Adel was hurt. He still couldn't make out what was going on.

Adel was hurt, Zell realized. Who had hurt him? Was it SeeD? Was Adel fighting SeeD now? He doubted it; Adel wouldn't be smirking and wounded if he was fighting SeeD. This meant Seifer was safe; Rinoa would have let him go with SeeD and Squall would have made sure, otherwise Zell would resign instantly, along with blow Squall's head off.

The door opened a crack and Odine slipped through. "Oh, my beautiful, it iz zo zad," Odine cried suddenly, coming over to the blonde and falling on top of him. Zell didn't fall, however; his power had been dormant only seconds ago and he was back to his old self, more or less.

"What's sad?" Zell asked, worried.

"It iz Adel," Odine stated, and there were more sobs. Zell's heart lifted. Adel was dead, he hoped. Adel was frozen. "Zhe wizhez for you to leave to ze palace! Az if I waz not good enough, you muzt leave me!"

Zell kicked Odine into unconsciousness, not really caring if the doctor woke up. This meant Adel had won Esthar, this meant Seifer was _really_ going to have problems. He sighed and carried the body to the bed, wondering if he could have some fun with Odine before he left.

No, Zell realized, that made him just like Adel, and he _wasn't_ like Adel. He wasn't that immoral or evil, he was honest and usually tried to do the right thing. So he just kicked Odine again and picked up the tools around his belt- it seemed Odine had been building something- and waited for a servant to come.

"My sorceress," came a quiet statement and Zell looked up at the servant in the cloak. "Adel wishes to move."

With that, Zell was taken from his small, tiny, windowless room and escorted to the palace quietly. There were no people on the streets- a servant answered his question with a simple "Adel is talking to them." The servant looked at Zell almost sadly and said nothing more. Zell was taken to a much larger room than what he had before, filled with books, furniture, and dolls. This might have been Ellone's room at one point, Zell decided, jumping on the soft bed. There was a bathroom with several soaps and shampoos- nothing like Adel had shown him- and there was a window, a big window that showed him the entire city. He couldn't see Garden, though.

He took the choker from his pocket and the odd tool he had taken from Odine. He remembered telling Squall once he was called the "machine" in the underground laboratory, and he was good with these sorts of things, but he wasn't really. He had realized a little bit after the "machine" nickname was not from building things, but from fighting. Though, he was an excellent welder, if he said so himself.

This choker, however, did not need welding or engraving- so he opened a link of chain, inserted the other link, and closed it. It seemed to work and he placed the collar back around his neck.

The kissing feeling had gone, Zell noted, but it wasn't important. What was important that it showed the word Zell was Seifer's, if Zell would actually show it to the world and not hide it in a pocket like he was prone to. A screen flicked on inside his wall, startling him for ten seconds before he realized it was like a built-in TV.

"Whoa," he stated, scratching his head. "That's something you don't see everyday." Adel was on, talking to Esthar, laughing at them, and Zell wanted to turn it off.

"You are mine," Adel told them, but Zell wondered if Adel was really talking to him. It wouldn't surprise him, not at all. He ran his fingers along the metal bar of the choker, letting the smooth metal calm himself.

There was always shadowboxing to pass the time. Zell kicked and punched his shadow, who retorted with blocks and jabs. It was nighttime when Zell felt tired, and his power woke up, swimming happily through him. Zell's eyes narrowed.

His power was free. Zell stretched it out wonderfully when suddenly a link formed, between him and a new face.

Ellone.

"Zelly!" She stated, happy to see him. "Seify told us you were a sorceress!" There was something wrong with her smile, though. Something she was masking up.

"Sis?" Zell asked, the face slowly coming back to him. "Is Seifer with you?"

Ellone shook her head, the smile cracking. "N-no, he's with Squall, I mean, he _was_ with Squall…" She looked up at him. "Zell…he told Squall to run, and now we don't know where he is, but if you're his sorceress then…"

Zell hugged Ellone reassuringly. "It's all right, Sis. I'm sure Seifer is hiding right now- you'd be surprised what he can do."

Ellone nodded and pulled away, her delicate form suddenly echoing in her mind. "I have to go, Zell, Uncle Laguna is throwing things again." She smiled weakly. "Are you all right?" She asked quietly, and Zell nodded. The link between the two broke, and Zell opened his eyes to the room.

But he was still in his head-world, as if there was still a link. Zell spun around, looking for the source but could find none. He waited, wondering what was going on. His power retreated for a moment, and he could make out a faint form- Adel. Adel was weak, and certainly not in a pretty shape. Adel was angry, and somewhat amused. Zell cut the link and fell backwards into his bed.

Adel was going to be after him, the thought sourly. Adel was going to come in and beat him for communicating with other sorceresses. Zell waited patiently.

Why had Adel been weak? Had Laguna attacked him, and had to pull back? Zell shook his head, something was very, very wrong.

"My sorceress," came a reply from a servant, and Zell got up, chuckling to himself. He undid the collar- he did not want Adel to take it away.

"Adel calls, right?" Zell asked, and the servant nodded humbly. "Lead the way." The palace had more twists and tunnels than Zell remembered, and in a small hallway he could almost see Seifer protecting him from Odine. The servant walked on and Zell grew more and more curious as they went deeper and deeper into the ground.

"Where is he?" Zell asked quietly as they entered a locker room of sorts.

"In the bath," the servant replied. "The battle is won, and my sorceress wishes to share his victory." The servant pointed to the door. "Come, undress hastily, my sorceress does not like to wait."

Zell fumbled with his dress, but the ribbon was always a killer when Zell was trying to get it off. The dress fell to the ground as Zell stepped out of it, next came his slippers and then everything else. A towel was placed before him and he wrapped it around himself.

Bangles, Zell realized suddenly. Adel had taken the liberty of replacing his bangles- but when? He didn't have him a few seconds ago, he didn't have them an hour ago- Zell's question was answered when he saw another servant placing another bangle on his arm. He was really out of it.

The blonde walked out into the steamy room when it came to him that this was really a hot spring. Whoa, Laguna that _kept_ that from him? Hot springs were wonderful places to relax! Especially when fighting all-powerful sorceresses!

Adel watched across the room with fire in his eyes, a fire hotter than anything the bath was producing. As soon as he could control Zell, he'd speak. Until then, he watched as Zell explored this new place. His power connected itself to other strands in Zell and soon the boy was flushed, not willing to fight back. The power fell slightly quiet, knowing Adel was more than willing to hurt its master if need be.

Lust flooded through Zell, and Zell knew exactly what was going on, though he could not stop it. This was more powerful than ever before, perhaps due to the fact Adel's power was as free as his own. _Think of Seifer_, Zell told himself before a stronger flash swept him up.

"Come here, Zell." Adel spoke, the words and the eager gaze casting an enchanting spell of their own. Zell's towel dropped and he slipped into the water. Seifer was forgotten.

"Here?" Zell asked seductively, slinking down so the water covered his neck.

Adel smirked. Just a little longer and this boy would be the perfect lover, without a potion, without influence. "Come here, Zell," he stated, reaching for the boy. Zell dodged playfully.

Adel needed playful after today. "Are you to be my Esthar, Zell? Must I conquer you?"

Zell shook his head, diving under the water. Adel caught him easily, pulling Zell into his chest, wincing a bit at the pain. Zell's own chest felt flushed as Adel worked a hand southward. Zell was already hard as the hand ghosted over the boy.

"Nngh," Zell moaned, throwing his head back. Adel kissed him gently, pumping Zell full and hard. Adel himself didn't have enough energy to full outright, but there was always time to watch his boy come.

_Just a few more strokes_…

Zell was panting, chest heaving. Adel smirked as he felt the boy shaking. He was in total control of this body on him, and this body wouldn't end up as unfortunate as Adel's own knight.

"Adel," Zell gasped, spilling into the water. Adel nuzzled Zell's neck.

"Today was a good day, hmm?" Adel whispered in his ear. Zell's come was sucked into a filter immediately and clean water replaced it. Adel had always liked this bath for that reason, also due to the bath's size. It was like a big swimming pool, but made for cleaning.

Zell sucked in a shaky breath. "You'll run out of bangles," Zell stated. "You can't keep me locked up for long, and when I get the strength, I'll _give _you your power back."

Adel bit Zell's neck this time. "Such brave words. I hope, for your sake, that you certainly will. Otherwise I've no complaint about an eternity of this." He jerked Zell harshly, who gave out a little cry.

_So beautiful. So perfect. _

Zell shifted and Adel winced again, this time failing to restrain his voice. Zell turned to see why, pulling away and Adel let him in a moment of weakness. There was a gash, Zell noted. It looked as if a curaga had been cast, but the curaga wasn't enough. Zell gasped as he noted the double-cut.

Hyperion had done this. Zell trembled. Seifer had fought Adel.

"Where is he?" Zell demanded, fumbling with a bangle. He got one off and his power blasted off the other, his anger fueling it like gasoline to a fire. He could hear a Rinoa as she faintly called to him, "Zell, he's dead!" Zell broke off the faint contact and felt tears as Adel loomed over him.

"Where's Seifer?" Zell yelled. "Where is he?" Not waiting for an answer, he punched Adel in the cut, causing the wound to re-open. He fled the bath, pulling the towel around him as cover enough to search.

Servants flocked to their master as he hissed, casting a pain on Zell. Zell turned to watch it and his power snapped up and flicked it away. The boy's eyes had turned to ice, and Adel growled as he called forth his own power, the servants fleeing.

"Stop this, Zell," Adel hissed as the two powers wrestled with each other, in a dance of light and energy no magic could dream to match. The boy was strong, not having fought already, not having a control over his emotions. Zell's power was winning, and Zell smirked, just as triumphantly as Adel could when suddenly Adel's power within him rose against him, slamming him into the wall.

Zell winced, trying to gain his clearheadedness. Adel was on him in a flash, bleeding all over the smaller boy and Adel grabbed his wrist painfully. Zell struggled as Adel's memories flowed into him.

/_ "He is _mine_," Adel stated as Seifer stood, preparing for a limit break. _

_"He isn't yours. Zell's his own person." Seifer launched into an attack, slicing Adel deeply in the chest. Adel hissed and his hand suddenly was faster than the human eye._

_In the next moment, Adel had reached out a hand and through Seifer's chest and the hand came out the other side, covered in blood and tissue and holding a newly acquired heart._

_"Z…Ze…" There wasn't enough strength to say the name completely. Seifer's eyes faded as Hyperion fell to the ground. _

_Adel smirked, whispering to the dead body as if he was sharing a great secret. "He can't love a dead person," Adel told the knight. "And a dead person can't love Zell." Seifer's body fell to the ground and Adel squashed the heart, wiping his hands on the trench coat Seifer wore. "Clean this up," he instructed his servants. "And take him to Odine, I'm sure- / _

_/ "Adel, don't," came the pleading voice of the knight. "Adel, I don't want to-"_

_"Shh," Adel told his knight reassuringly. "It'll be okay. You and I are together forever, so this would happen eventually, right?" _

_"Adel, I don't want this!" The knight struggled against bonds as Adel laughed._

_"But I do, and the sorceress always wins. Don't worry, I'll make sure you enjoy it." / _

Zell gasped, mouth tasting tears that had been flowing freely. "Seifer…" he cried, realizing he'd lost someone important to him. If he hadn't asked Seifer to be his knight, Seifer wouldn't have been in this position. Adel was glaring at him, glaring at him as if everything was Zell's fault.

_It is,_ Zell realized angrily, kicking Adel into the pool. Zell got up and ran into the locker room, shame echoing in his footsteps. Seifer was _dead_ because of him, and now no one was coming to rescue him. He'd caused Seifer to die, and he deserved this, he deserved what he got.

"Seifer!" he cried raggedly, sinking to his knees. His power flared forth at his cry, somehow slipping away from him for a moment before returning wearily and sinking into nothing. Zell huddled into a ball. He deserved Adel.

The older sorceress stormed in, angry and weakened. Furiously he fired a burst of power at Zell, who couldn't block it. The power shaped into a thunderga and flowed through him, sending waves of pain throughout his body. Zell cried out and whimpered, looking at Adel.

"Not a…good escape…plan, boy…to run into a room…and stay there…" Adel trailed off, the two attacks starting to take their toll. He gasped in pain and angrily hit Zell's head. Zell fell back on the door, not fighting.

After all, he deserved this.

… / … / …

… / … / …

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Rather short chapter, but I've almost finished typing the story out, with a brand-new ending! Yay! Much better than the last. Um.. there's no CK update for this week, sorry. If I get swarmed, what will I be swarmed by?

I'm updating this twice a week now instead though. (smiles apologetically. Not good enough?)

Oh, right, this was a sad chapter. Umm… yeah, sorry about that. But it needed to be done, and I rather enjoy killing off Seifer, as I'm sure he does me.

See you soon.


	9. Chapter 8

Maybe I should name these chapters, but I can't think of names. In fact, maybe this fic should be more Adel-Zell than Seifer-Zell. Oh, well.

Disclaimer: Don't own them and don't own them and don't own them.

Warnings: Shonnen-ai, because I love it. Angst, because I love it. Food, because I love that, too, and I love it when my – I mean, Square's characters wake up disoriented and completely confused, lost, and hopeless. I think that's a normal morning for Zell when Seifer's not in bed with him…

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Chapter eight.

There was something cold on his forehead. Zell's eyes fluttered open as he heard a sharp intake of breath. A servant was above him, wiping down his head.

Zell felt horrible. His eyelids felt like they were on fire, his head ached only slightly more than the rest of his body, it hurt to breathe, and his hair was in his face. Zell didn't have the strength to blow it away or move his arms. In fact, sleep seemed good right now.

Adel had beaten him, he remembered, though it wasn't a very _good_ beating. Adel managed to bleed more than he had, a no-no whenever beatings were taking place. Adel had then realized Zell wasn't fighting back and let Zell go; someone who was unwilling to learn a lesson was not going to learn it.

"Where am I?" Zell asked. He tried to summon up a cure, but his power simply sputtered like a frozen car. (1) As his eyes looked around, Zell realized he didn't even have bangles on.

"Your chambers, milady." The servant gave a boy and continued soaking Zell's face with the cloth. Zell looked up, trying to see a face but the hood covered it far too well. The servant kept talking so Zell wouldn't have to try to. "You've been ill for several days. Nine exactly."

Zell nodded weakly, taking in the information. "What's happened?" he asked, coughing. The servant instantly held him for support until he stopped.

"I arrived only five days ago, milady, and I have been instructed not to leave your chambers until you are well. SeeD has relentlessly been fighting until four days ago; many suspect they are switching the junior classmen with fully ranked SeeDs from all three Gardens." The servant dipped the cloth in water and placed it on Zell's neck this time. "Adel was weak and took three days to heal completely. He is impatient with both the new SeeD attack and your health."

Zell gave a sad smile. "Ah." He tried to sit up, but fell back down. He wasn't as fit as he thought.

"Stay still, milady. The fever hasn't left." The voice took a worried tone. "Adel will only see you when you are well." Zell nodded onto a pillow, sleep dancing around the edges of his mind.

"'m thirsty."

The servant chuckled and pressed a nearby glass of water against Zell's lips. "Drink." Zell sipped as much as he could, some water falling onto the pillow. It was cold and refreshing, just like the fact Zell wouldn't see Adel for a while.

"Thanks," Zell mumbled, eyes closing.

The servant nodded, stroking his tattoo in awe. "I am here to serve, milady."

Zell murmured a response. "'m not a lady."

There was more chuckling. "I know," the man stated softly. "Sleep now, milady, many are pleased you are well."

Seifer's not, Zell thought as tears carried him to sleep.

… / … / … /

… / … / … /

…

…

Zell awoke again, aware of being warm but not from fever. In fact, he was warm all over, as if he was…wet. "A bath?" Zell asked before his eyes opened. The same servant chuckled.

"Yes, milady. This is the first one you've been awake for." The servant then began washing Zell with a washcloth, not the perverted way Adel would wash, more like the way Seifer would wash him. Zell shook his head slightly. Seifer wasn't here, he told himself. He sighed softly and the servant commented. "Do you feel better?"

Zell smiled. "Who are you?" He asked, looking up.

"I'm your personal servant, milady. I will never leave your side." The words suddenly sparked emotions that were being held at bay. Tears flowed and the servant apologized several times, pulling a wet Zell into his cloak and shushing him like his Ma used to do.

Like Seifer did. Zell clung to the cloak for a bit before there was a knock on the door. The servant guided Zell away, getting up to answer it. Zell flicked water into his face; he didn't want Adel to see him crying.

"Yes?" the door creaked open. "He is awake, my sorceress, but very weak. He is in bath."

"We will speak," Adel's voice stated with no room for argument. "Wait here." Zell closed his eyes as he listened to Adel's footsteps. Delicate shoes clicked on the tiled floor. "You feel weak, yes?" Adel asked, not showing much concern. He didn't have to."

Zell nodded, trying to ignore the fear he felt. Adel continued speaking. "You will be accompanied by your servant at all times. Your servant will provide you with training and study."

Zell's eyes opened, sadness radiating from them. Adel paused before speaking, a slight confusion drifting over his words. "You stopped fighting." Zell offered no explanation and Adel knew it. "Your knight is dead, Zell. Move on. I did."

"There's a difference between murder and suicide," Zell hissed, and Adel swept down to his level, an amused glint in his eye. His beautiful wasn't completely dead emotionally.

Swallowing, Zell watched as Adel's hand caressed his face gently. "You're still sick." Adel kissed him gently. "We've had to entrap your power, but I've let it go for this. No sorceress has ever gotten this weak before. I can only pray that your power returns to make you better."

Zell said nothing. He couldn't. Adel sighed. "I must be gone for several days. Your servant shall be your _only_ company. You will continue your studies." Adel forced Zell to meet his eyes. "I have a link with you, boy. I know if you've been talking to other sorceresses."

"I don't feel up to it," Zell stated dimly. "But if I did, I'd rather work out instead."

"It shall be provided," Adel told him, kissing him quickly with a smile. Zell shut his eyes until he heard the door open and close.

Adel looked up at the ceiling. His boy was so weak, and so emotionally dead. Adel growled. Just like his knight had been, just like his weakling knight had been. But for the boy, it hurt to watch as Zell's face was empty, looking more like the commander of SeeD than his self. Adel's fist clenched. He would bring back that emotionally ruled Zell, after he crushed SeeD.

The servant bowed, keeping his hood on and went back inside.

Zell relaxed in the water, afraid to open his eyes. _Stay calm, Zell_, the water told him. _Everything is all right._ Zell smiled softly and sighed peacefully, unaware of jade eyes watching him.

_So beautiful, milady_, the servant thought, daring not to touch. Adel would have his head and he was lucky enough to be here, with his lady. With a face as ugly as his…

Strong arms lifted a whining Zell out of the water and picked him up. Zell made a small noise and opened his eyes.

"Come now, milady. You must be hungry." Zell nodded as the servant placed him down and into a simple bathrobe- no need to get a dress dirty when Zell was sick- and Zell allowed himself to be carried to a chair.

The servant let go of the blonde and Zell caught a flash of green eyes. He gasped, staring, frozen as he willed down his hope. _Seifer's heart was crushed. Crushed heart-goo doesn't come back to life._ "Who are you?" Zell asked, and the servant looked away. Zell looked at him, trying to see the man's face.

"Milady…" The servant turned back. "I have no memory of anything other than serving you."

Zell slouched back down. Seifer was _dead_, he repeated. "Sorry," he stated.

"I…" the servant trailed off. "Don't be, milady, I…" he shook his head, taking an apple and slicing it, cutting almost into his hand.

"You what?" Zell asked, interested. "Please, I want to know."

The servant shook his head. "Eat a slice, milady, and then go to sleep; it can only do you good." He offered Zell a piece, and Zell took it tentatively. It was ripe, he realized, and he wanted another.

Nine days of food tended to do that to a person. The servant smiled an unseen smile as Zell practically begged with his eyes for another slice.

"Milady, I found something here, something before Adel ransacked your quarters." Zell looked up as the servant handed him a slice. The cloaked man placed the apple down, pulling out a silver choker.

Seifer's choker. Zell felt tears well up as he took it. "Please…" Zell asked, his words broken and almost inaudible. "Please place it on my neck." The servant asked no questions and did so, hands brushing his neck the way Zell had always wanted Seifer to do.

Tears streamed down Zell's face, as he turned to the servant, seeking a comfort only another person could provide. Zell cried for his knight and he cried for himself, and he cried for everything that should have been, everything that had been, and everything that wouldn't be.

Strong arms wrapped themselves around him as Zell cried as hard as he possibly could, saying, "I loved him," between the sobs. The servant simply held Zell, though they both wanted him to do more.

… / … / … /

… / … / … /

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Adel had not lied when he said Zell could work out. There were punching bags and boxing rings and weights and bouncy balls for lazy people in the palaces gym. (2) Zell was currently punching the bag like he did at home, though here it took a lot less to make him exhausted. He punched and kicked and Booyah-ed and Heel Drop-ed that bag like it was Ultimacia herself, and the power that had been hers resented the fact and sometimes nipped at him.

The servant watched, transfixed by the fighter. He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew that strangely he could feel alive whenever he was near the blonde. He felt pain when _his_ sorceress cried, watched with awe as _his_ sorceress slept and awoke, and he felt very, _very_ possessive around Zell.

He didn't know where this feeling had sprung from. He remembered only waking up six days ago, to stare at a completely afraid Odine, and then a furious Adel. After the older sorceress realized the servant had amnesia, he'd handed the servant his cloak.

"You're ugly," Adel had told him. "Your face must be kept hidden unless you want to scare him." Then Adel assigned him to Zell, and it was as if his world had color. He wasn't sure why, but Adel mentioned the fact that he would be "extra-protective" and "very obedient."

He knew the feeling; he was in love, but he couldn't let Zell know, not when _his _sorceress's knight had just died and Adel was trying to bed Zell as often as he could.

He was also afraid Zell would be terrified at his face. Zell might die from fear or something, or maybe demand a new servant. The silent, green-eyed man's stomach quivered. He didn't even have a _name_ to give Zell.

The servant looked up out of his thoughts in time to see Zell get clobbered with the punching bag. He chuckled as he walked over, extending his hand. Zell took it, smiling as he stood.

"Just like at Ma's. Thanks," Zell said, and the servant nodded dumbstruck. A gleam caught his eye.

"Milady?" he managed to ask, spotting the collar around Zell's neck. He pulled back and Zell blanched, realizing that the choker was showing. The servant had told him to leave it in his room or someone would mention it.

Zell closed his eyes, waiting for it to be taken away, but the servant traced it before snapping back, clutching his arm. Zell was there instantly, trying to call a cure that would not come. "Are you okay? What happened?"

The servant didn't move, breathing heavily. "Hey?" Zell asked, steeping closer. The man flinched when Zell reached out to him, placing his hand on the wounded shoulder. "What-"

"I remembered a little," the servant stated, "Though it hurt, thank you, milady."

"But I-" Zell fell silent as the servant stood.

"It is time for lunch, Milady," the servant smiled to himself, glad that he had loved Zell for years, even if he couldn't remember the situations or anything else. The two went back to the spacious room and Zell sat in a chair as the servant set up the lunch on the desk. The servant was humming, Zell realized.

"Um…did I hurt you?" Zell asked, and the servant shook his head, offering Zell a piece of bread.

Zell nibbled on it before remembering there might be a potion, and he set it down. "I'm not hungry," Zell mumbled, and the servant blinked.

"Milady…"

Zell shook his head. "Call me Zell." He looked at the servant, whose face was still covered in cloak. "I'm just not hungry, you can have it."

The servant took a small piece and ate it, proving to Zell it wasn't poison. Zell felt stupid, but at least he was safe, right? "Eat a piece, mil- Zell." The servant fumbled over the two names, remembering that Zell wished to be called by his name. Zell smiled and sat back in his chair, pouting.

"Only if you tell me your name."

The servant chuckled at Zell's cuteness. "I told you, I have no name." Zell reached for his hood and the servant stepped back, eyes shut. "Please, don't milady. My face is scarred and ugly. You couldn't stand the strain, Adel himself almost fainted, and Odine did."

"Oh." Zell suddenly felt badly for the man. Maybe he was one of Odine's projects. Zell could feel a slight similarity between them. "Sorry." He stretched his arm instead.

The servant was watching now, just watching, not doing anything else. Green eyes drank him in hungrily. Zell blushed, eating the bread now. This guy didn't really matter, he reminded himself. But he could feel the familiar heart beating rapidly, Hyne, why now?

"So you do want to eat," the servant stated, chuckling and picked up a dress to sew on. Zell offered the servant some more food, but the man politely declined. After all, Zell was the one who needed it.

Why had the choker reacted? Zell wondered. Was it like Seifer was protecting him? Was his magic the ability to give back memories? Too many thoughts and a tired body were enough to send him to sleep, so he got up, apologizing and fell onto the bed, the servant there to tuck him in gently.

… / … / … /

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Zell awoke the next morning, still sleepy. Looking around, he realized his servant wasn't anywhere in sight. Sighing, Zell sat up, noting the shower running. He supposed it was fair his servant was showering, Zell enjoyed them, too. Yawning, a burst of curiosity flipped through his head.

Getting out of bed, Zell noted a trickle of power as he walked to the bathroom door, turning the handle.

Locked. The water shut off and there was a slight laugh. "Very eager, milady." Zell blushed, walking back to the bed, waiting. He'd only wanted to see his servant's face!

The servant returned, still wrapped in a cloak. Zell waved to him, wondering if the servant had changed cloaks, too. Zell watched as the servant opened the door and took the tray that lay on the floor, and set it on the desk.

Zell pounced on him, but the servant was too quick, dodging with a sidestep. He turned the dodge into a placing of the blonde into the chair. Zell managed to laugh a bit before the servant served him his food.

"You should laugh more often," the servant told him gently.

Hyne, the tears were starting again. "Why?" Zell asked, and the servant leaned forward and kissed him softly on the forehead, a kiss that reminded Zell of Seifer.

"You're beautiful when you smile," the servant whispered, holding the centerpiece flower to the sorceress. "Milady."

The flower bloomed several times before there was a knock on the door. The servant got up and Zell quickly replaced the flower into the vase, getting up. "No, my sorceress," came the statement, and Zell quickly took off the choker, placing it in a desk drawer. The servant came to him. "My sorceress wishes to see you."

"He's back?" Zell asked, and Adel entered.

"I am," Adel told him, watching the blonde with cautious eyes. When Zell's head dropped in a submissive stance, Adel chuckled and held Zell's chin. "Your servant informs me you've been quite well-behaved."

Zell said nothing. _I deserve this,_ he thought, though he could hear Adel's knight in the back of his head telling him otherwise.

Adel grinned at Zell's meekness. He was growing more and more tame, and he was tame at the moment. "He says you are recovering quickly," Adel stated, wondering how quickly he could have those pajamas off.

/ _Adel, don't, I don't want this- / _The words fluttered through Zell's mind as he looked up at Adel, knowing Adel would soon use the power inside him. With shock Zell realized Adel's sorceress gift. Adel manipulated emotions by placing some of his power inside another person. Zell swallowed- he couldn't try that with his own power being so weak. "Where have you been?" he asked.

Adel smiled, arms curling around Zell in a sensual manner. "They will continue to oppose, and I must control them. But even as I was out there, I kept thinking of you."

Zell could feel a sickening feeling as Adel's power tried to coax him to lust. Zell was too weak to hold it off, but he tried to hide it. "Who? Esthar?" At this point, he realized, he was shaking, and Adel leaned down and kissed him. Adel's power flicked at the servant who left, shutting the door.

"Will you fight me, boy?" Adel was attacking his neck now, holding Zell up.

Zell attempted to shake his head. "Not today, Adel. I'm too weak," Zell admitted, and Adel took off the night shirt, hands running down his chest. Then Adel was playing with his pants, and Zell gasped. "A-Adel!"

"Don't make me wait, boy," Adel said heatedly. On the other side of the door the servant growled possessively.

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Perhaps those closer to the equator do not know how hard it is to start a frozen car. It's a bitch, let me tell you. Actually, it's a lot like gambling- several short bursts and you're always hoping for the big one. Sometimes, my car starts and I get going and it stops on me again, so I have to get out and kick it for it to start up completely.

I like the balls at the gym. They're fun to bounce on as I eat my snickers in front of the runners, who run more desperately.

Next chapter- Servant unmasked! For those who couldn't guess!


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own God, he simply works for me when he feels like existing.

Oh, wait…

Disclaimer: I do not own the wonderful characters that belong to Square. Simply think of it as giving them depth.

Mini-Disclaimer: I did not find the words Adel speaks (sorta), I found them on Eoko and Kitty's website. It's under theories section or whatnot, and it made sense to me.

Warnings: Sap. Sap Sap Sap. Sap. Sap. Sap. Sap. Angst. Fluff. Sap. Sap. Sap. Sap. Shonnen-ai, sap, sap sap. Yeah, it was a very emotional time for me. Not really.

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Chapter 9

"Zell?"

Zell puked again, trying not to think about what had just happened. The servant walked in after Adel had left. The servant tried to pat his back, but Zell only glared at the cloaked man as he wiped his own mouth. "Don't touch me," he hissed, clenching his jaw. He hated this; he hated the way Adel could reduce him to begging, how Adel could reduce him to being nothing more than a whore version of himself. And this time, there were no potions to blame it on, though Zell was tempted to blame it on the power inside him.

"Milady," the servant stated, trying to comfort him.

Thwack.

Zell's fist flew at the servant's face. Blood speckled onto the floor as the servant flew back, head hitting the tub with a sickening thud. The cloaked figure didn't move at all, and blood pooled underneath him.

The sorceress's stomach tightened as he realized what he had just done. The servant was only trying to help; help did not deserve that reaction. "Hey," Zell called out, worried.

No response. Sickened, Zell realized blood was spreading on the floor. Oh, shit, he'd just killed his only friend-like person here. He crawled over to the man, removing the hood to examine the wound.

It was Seifer.

Zell gasped, casting a curaga immediately. "Seifer?" he asked, pulling the knight to him. Seifer remained unconscious. "Oh, fuck, Seifer," Zell whispered. "I'm sorry." Zell started crying, Seifer hadn't left him at all.

But he knew the memory was real as well. Had Adel brought Seifer back? What…what had Adel thought, placing Seifer with him?

Tears fell onto his knight's face, allowing a pathway to consciousness to form. Green eyes opened. "I'm sorry," Zell cried. "I didn't know it was you."

"What?" Seifer asked, confused. With a start he realized the hood was off. He scrambled to place it back up, covering his face. He started up, but Zell pulled him down and the servant trembled as Zell took hold of the hood, placing it down. "Please, milady, don't-"

Zell silenced him with a kiss. Seifer closed his eyes, this felt familiar, like from something long ago. When Zell pulled away the knight actually made a noise, and Zell smiled. "You don't remember, do you?" Zell asked softly. Green eyes winced as Seifer tried.

Seifer swallowed. "I remember loving you," he admitted. "Trying to push down feelings that wouldn't leave." Zell had been crying, he realized, wiping away some tears. "Milady…" His sorceress was beautiful when he smiled, but Seifer had never thought that tears and smiling would look so wonderful together.

Letting him go, Zell gave the only instructions he ever wanted to give his knight. "Leave your hood down when we're alone," Zell told him. "Please?"

Seifer nodded incredulously. Zell didn't find him ugly or worthless. Zell had returned his affections. "Milady? Who am I to you?"

Zell smiled and kissed him again, suddenly not wanting to stop. _Please, Hyne, don't make him stop_, Seifer prayed. Zell pulled away, breathing heavily. Zell got up suddenly, leaving a very aroused servant on the floor. "I must have been someone important," Seifer whispered to himself, getting up and following Zell. He couldn't stand to be far away from him, even a room's length.

As soon as he stepped out, Zell was there, handing him the choker. The knight blinked. This wasn't his, he realized. What was his sorceress thinking? "But, milady, this is…"

"This is yours," Zell told him, trying to put it on, but he was far too short. The choker instead hit Seifer's neck and Seifer froze, then slowly grasped Zell's hand. Zell's face fell into sadness; he hoped desperately he hadn't hurt Seifer again. Seifer then placed the choker around his neck, staring at Zell. Zell looked up curiously. "Seifer?"

"Some dress you've got there, Chickenwuss," the man stated. "Fancy throwing a tea-party?"

Zell broke into a tearful grin as he flew into Seifer's arms, crying happily that his knight was back and that his knight had found him. The knight held him until the tears were replaced by kisses, and Zell forced the two on the bed. "Seifer," Zell whispered as if Seifer would break when exposed to high decibels. "My knight."

"My sorceress," Seifer told him, laughing. "Some power you've got there, that brings people back from the dead."

Zell blinked, the statement suddenly coming to a grim realization as his power floated back into him, no longer being used to protect Seifer's memories. "My power?"

Seifer poked his nose, drawing Zell closer. "Your power. One-hundred percent you." Zell smiled and snuggled into his knight's warmth. He forgot Adel, he forgot Odine, or the fact he was a prisoner. All he could remember was that Seifer was alive, and this was too his fault.

He'd never been happier at such a fact. "Seifer…" Zell smiled and pulled Seifer closer to him. "I've missed you so much…"

Seifer held him tightly, not wanting to ever let go. But his arms gave out and he was tired now, and he needed to plan an escape from this place with Zell. They could wait until SeeD arrived, he supposed, and sneak away in the chaos. Zell giggled.

"Thinking hard?"

Seifer let the thousands of sleazy remarks fly by his brain. "Yeah," he stated, resting his head on Zell's bangleless arm. Zell moved a bit to find that his knight had fallen asleep. Zell got up and kissed the sleeping blonde again, thinking that he might also nap later on. Seifer looked very cute like this.

Chuckling to himself, Zell placed the hood back on in case Adel returned and went to the door. It opened silently. Zell waved goodbye to his knight and shut the door.

"Waving to what, are we?" came a grumble and Zell turned to see a very, very angry Odine.

"I…" Zell trailed off as Odine cocked his head. "I…"

"You zhould not be outzide without your zervant!" Odine stated, pinning Zell against the door. "I heard you were very zick, zo I decided to zee what I could do."

"I'm better, now, Odine, enough to cast sleep." Zell gave a smile and Odine cocked an eyebrow. "I…I…" Zell needed a lie, and quick. "I wanted to see _you_." He stated, hitting himself in the head mentally afterwards.

Odine puffed out his chest a bit, a completely useless gesture for one who was always bent over. "Yez, well, that iz to be expected from my zorcerezz." Odine smiled and petted Zell's hair. "Do not worry, I have come to you."

Zell whispered something as he fell into Odine's chest, and Odine grinned. _Odine, you dog, you ztill have it!_ "What was zat?" Odine asked huskily.

"Sleep," Zell whispered and Odine crumpled before his door. Zell pretended to dust off his hands and continued walking to his destination. "Zilly, zilly man," Zell mocked.

When he made it to Adel's room, he quietly pushed the door open. Adel wasn't in the room, and so Zell entered, still not sure if Adel was hiding or not.

Something was missing, he realized, looking at the cabinet. There wasn't anything calling him from there, so curiously Zell opened the door.

The ashes were gone.

Zell swallowed, suddenly. He didn't think he'd brought Adel's knight back to life; that would also cause a drain on his power, and that's the reason he'd come. Another helpful friend would have been wonderful, especially if Zell could bring the man to life. He shut the door and a hand placed itself on his shoulder. Zell froze and the hand started to caress his neck, just like Seifer had done.

"Seifer," Zell whispered and his knight kissed him softly behind the ear.

"Shh, Zell. Let's get back to your room." Seifer pulled back and went out of the door first, and Zell followed, head bowed. Seifer said nothing until they reached the crumpled body of Odine, and Seifer chuckled. "Nice."

"I know," Zell told him happily, and suddenly froze. There was a power in that room, and Zell knew it far too well. Seifer noted Zell's hesitation and replaced his hood as he opened the door.

It was Rinoa. She smiled and waved as Angelo gave several sharp wags of a tail. Zell smiled and rushed up to her, hugging the dog happily. "Angelo!" Zell cried. His hot-dog buddy was back with him and now the two could run to the cafeteria together and eat hundreds of hotdogs.

Seifer shut the door quietly. "How'd you get here, Rinoa?" he asked, and the weaker sorceress covered her mouth in surprise. Tears formed on her face as she walked up, removing the hood slowly. Zell and Angelo watched slightly smugly; Zell had known before she had, and Angelo had smelled it when Seifer walked into the room.

"You're…alive…" she whispered and Zell grinned, getting up. Suddenly Seifer was forced into a hug and Zell watched sadly as Seifer returned it. "You're okay, but how?"

"Zell," Seifer told her simply. "Zell's power brings the dead back to life." She turned and Zell shrugged, scratching his head. Seifer gave him a small smile as he let Rinoa go, and Rinoa hugged Zell this time.

"I was sooo worried!" She stated. "You contacted me and so SeeD let Seifer go with him, but he told SeeD to run as soon as he saw Adel. Squall stayed and watched Seifer die, he won't believe me, but-"

Zell was watching Seifer as Rinoa talked and she pulled away, understanding. "Oohh." She stated finally. "You're a couple, aren't you?"

Zell blushed as Seifer nodded, walking over to his sorceress. He held the younger blonde and placed his chin on Zell's head. "That's kind of what happens when you're knighted."

"Hey, I didn't think of it that way," Zell stated, and Seifer looked down at him. Zell sighed. "Okay, well I _did, _but I think…"

Rinoa giggled. "You two look cute enough. Come on, SeeD sent me so I could get you out in time. Squall's leading SeeD on Galbadia garden- they're not equipped to be as much of a learning center as we are, and we're attacking soon." Angelo gave a whine and Rinoa smiled at the two, leading her dog into the bathroom and closing the door.

"Seifer?" Zell asked softly as Seifer smiled. "Are we a couple? Really?" He turned around and Seifer kissed him lightly as an answer.

"I'd like that," Seifer told him, "having died over you."

Zell smiled and tears started to come again as he held Seifer tightly. "I'm glad," he whispered. "I would have died if you hadn't come back."

Seifer squeezed Zell softly. "I love you, Zell," he told the sorceress, and Zell smiled as he sighed, hiccupping.

"I love you too," he stated happily, snuggling into Seifer's chest. The knight smiled and kissed Zell's forehead softly. (1)

"Zell…" Seifer told him. "We've got to go." Rinoa opened the door as Angelo flushed the toilet like a good puppy and the two smiled.

"Let's get out of here. The servants obey a sorceress, so I could slip in this way. Who clocked Odine?" Zell raised his hand sheepishly, still being held. "Good job," Rinoa congratulated, and took a step forward. Angelo gave a whine, growling at the door. Zell suddenly stepped in front of the blue-clad girl.

A flare burst through the door, with a very, very angry Adel on the other side. Zell had a shell on him instantly, and Seifer wished for his weapon. Rinoa casted a haste on Angelo. "Get help," she told her loyal friend who dashed off faster than Zell could.

"You've been very naughty," Adel stated, casting another huge wave of magic. Rinoa gritted her teeth as she felt her hastes slip away from her. Zell managed to protect the group again, and Seifer turned to Rinoa.

"Give me a GF," Seifer told her, and Rinoa let Pandemona slip into Seifer's mind. Pandemona used to be Fujin's, so he knew the GF on a name on name basis. Still the links would take some time to form. Odine had slipped away, Seifer noted, and Rinoa casted a haste on the party.

Zell nodded his thanks and sent a wave of Ultima at Adel, who flung it away. Zell paused. Adel shouldn't have been this strong! Adel simply pointed at Rinoa as his power suddenly flared up like a great snake behind him, slamming into her. She let out a scream as it shattered her shell and slammed her into the wall. The power, satisfied that it had done a good job, retreated to its position behind Adel.

"They will kill me, and I will not return," Adel stated quietly. Seifer returned to junctioning as he felt the castle shake. SeeD was bombing the place. Adel turned to Seifer and his face grew angry. "You come back from the dead, but you will not return!" Adel shouted and the legendary sorceress's power gathered, preparing to throw all of itself at Seifer. Seifer started a summon.

Zell cast a reflect at Seifer, trying to do the same with his power, but it was already strained. Zell needed rest, and he couldn't match the intensity that Adel had at the moment. _/ Run, you idiot!. / _. Looking for the source of the voice, Zell noted the necklace around Adel's neck, one of several. It looked a lot like a vial and… oh, hyne, Zell knew what had happened to the ashes.

The power flew at Seifer, and Zell strained to make his power protect his knight. The two collided, leaving everyone blind for several seconds.

When it was over, Adel was standing. His power had gotten through Zell's shield, shattering the younger sorceress's power and rendering Zell unconscious. The shield had worked to some degree, Seifer was trembling over his fallen sorceress's form. The girl gave a moan and Adel kicked the knight, ready to attack again.

They were coming, Adel remembered angrily. He had no time to loose, and he picked up his boy, watching as the knight rushed him. It was a pitiful attempt and Adel managed to throw the blonde knight into the wall next to the weak sorceress. "We will not return," Adel said somberly and hauled the boy over his shoulder, stepping out the door.

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Blame this sappiness on listening to FFVIII soundtrack, "love grows" and "eyes on me".

Again with the mini-disclaimer.

The words from Adel are actually from Eoko and Kitty's website, under the theories section. I thought it was a good point, so I used it. Many thanks, otherwise there would be a non-talking Adel.

There. I've quoted my sources, teacher, can I go now?

See you soon! One more chapter till the end!


	11. Chapter 10

Warnings: Don't get attached to characters in this chapter.

Seifer: I had better not die again.

Delta: ummmm…backs away slowly… I guess we'll have to see.

Mini-plots revealed! Squall and Rinoa sappiness. Now I make them look like human beings!... or as close as Rinoa can get to being human, I guess…

Disclaimer: I own…the little ones. Mine, and if their parents want them they had better join my army, too. Square owns Seifer and Zell, and Odine, and Adel, and Squall, and Rinoa, and Angelo, and… you get the picture.

Sexy knight is mine!

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Chapter 10

There was nothing said on the car ride as soon as Zell woke up, though there were things to be said. Zell had woken up, groggy in the back of the van to find his hands were tied and feet as well. Adel hadn't noticed, driving like a maniac. They were almost out of Esthar, and Adel was mumbling something quietly.

Zell winced as the ropes didn't allow him to shift in the back of the van. The bottle around Adel's neck radiated with sympathy. Adel's eyes looked at him and Adel gave a sneer, but no words. Zell's power was weak and wanted to rest more than what Zell was allowing it to do. The van lurched off the exit and headed for the Sorceress Memorial.

_"Seifer… would you… protect me?" _ Zell felt tears as he thought about his knight, Seifer had been alive and now Zell really had no idea. He didn't think it was possible to try and bring Seifer back to life again. Adel growled as his power lashed at Zell.

"They shall not have us," Adel told him. "They want to kill us, they've always wanted to kill us, and so I shall take us away, far away." Adel's power suddenly engulfed the van as they fled to the memorial.

"He looked like me," Zell said softly, almost accusingly.

Adel grasped the necklace and said nothing about it. Desert passed them by and Zell silently called out to Seifer. No one was responding, no one was awake. Zell let the tears stroke his face gently as he wished for Seifer's necklace. Zell didn't know where they were going, but Adel was driving like a madman. The desert looked a lot like the sea, now that he thought about it. Endless waves of dust surrounded them and Zell wanted to look back, but he couldn't move.

A few tense minutes passed as Adel stopped fueling the car with his power. "Knights are worthless," Adel told him, grasping the vial tightly. "Worthless."

"Seifer's not worthless!" Zell shouted, defending the absent blonde. "Seifer was trying to protect me, he gave his life for me!"

Adel chuckled, as if struggling with something in his mind. "You think he did, but he wasn't. It was his pride, Zell, and I saved you from it."

Zell's temper flared but it didn't even phase Adel. Perhaps the fire-haired man was too hurt already, his hand not leaving the vial. Perhaps Zell was really powerless. It didn't matter as Adel slammed on the brakes and Zell flew forward, his head bleeding. "You raped him!" Zell hissed angrily and Adel turned, power flaring at the boy.

"You have no idea!" Adel yelled at him. "You don't know what he was like! He-" Adel stopped, realizing he'd have to save his power for the upcoming event. Adel got out of the car, slamming the door and tearing the back door of the van open. Roughly he threw Zell over his shoulder and the younger sorceress squirmed in order to make things harder for him.

It was then Zell saw their destination, and it brought back memories. "This…Adel, this is the Sorceress Memorial." Adel said nothing as they continued walking, and Zell's squirming efforts were redoubled as he knew what Adel was planning. "I don't wanna be sealed forever!" Zell screamed, and Adel said nothing, entering the place and throwing Zell into a chair.

The staff members were all frozen and Adel gave a wicked grin as his power wiped all but one out. Zell recognized him; it was Odine's assistant, the one who was never with Adel in the first place. The assistant swallowed and leaned back against the console. He was trembling, and Zell wrestled with his ropes.

"I want us to be sealed, understand?" Adel said curtly. "All three of us."

The man blinked in confusion, and Zell's eyes shut. _Hyne, he's thinkin' about his knight…_ There was a smack and the man fell onto the floor. "Y-yes, Adel, I will provide it," he stated, and got up, working at one. "You must stand on the pedestal inside the chamber, but it will take almost a half-hour to complete."

Adel nodded and cast a reflect on the door so the man couldn't leave. "We will be in there." He picked up Zell and walked inside, placing Zell on the floor gently. Zell scooted away from him, completely afraid with his power this weak.

The door hissed shut, sealing the two in. Zell swallowed; this is what happened to Rinoa. But Seifer couldn't come here this fast, he had no idea where to find him. Seifer might be dead. Zell sniffled, he couldn't help it.

The mighty sorceress looked down, and his face held something Zell hadn't seen before, but he scooted away as far as he could. Adel chuckled softly and undid the restraints on Zell's feet, throwing the rope away. The hand stayed too long on his leg and Zell struggled suddenly, his feet kicking wildly.

"No, Adel, I don't want this!"

The legendary sorceress froze, pulling away. Something was wrong, Zell noted. Something was horribly wrong and Zell didn't know what it was. Adel's power was only radiating sadness, a deep depression that Zell couldn't match.

However, Zell didn't care as he attempted to jump the platform. Adel caught him by his dress, pulling Zell down. Zell hissed and struggled, but Adel's grip was like a statue.

"They want to kill the sorceresses, Zell," Adel said quietly. "In all the years I've been away, they still want to kill sorceresses."

"You didn't help their opinions," Zell responded, and Adel gave a humorless laugh.

"They held those opinions long before I got there," the taller man stated sadly. "They never changed. Not even Laguna changed that; do you know what Odine was doing _before_ I got there?"

Zell shook his head and Adel touched his face gingerly. "I can save you from them. They're monsters, boy. They're monsters."

"You're a monster," Zell whimpered, struggling in his dress.

"There's nowhere to go. If you aren't here, the gases may kill you, and then you'll have no chance of surviving." Adel let go of Zell who huddled into a ball. Adel stroked the vial tenderly.

Zell said nothing, simply watching as the man behind the control panel pushed buttons. He would probably kill them anyway, Zell decided. He wasn't going to see Seifer or Rinoa or Selphie or Squall or Irvine or Quistis or Matron or Cid again. He wasn't going to be able to enjoy his life anymore.

Minutes passed before Adel spoke again. "You do remind me of him. But you aren't the same." Adel started chuckling again and Zell wished that he could bring Adel's knight back to kill him. If Adel died, he could leave and he could see Seifer again and-

His power responded, flowing out of him and into the vial. The liquefied ashes sprung out and took a human-like shape, and Adel watched transfixed as the man emerged, blonde hair and blonde eyes emerging. The power returned to Zell as the man fell to the ground, not used to breathing.

Zell was about to say something when a glimmer caught his eye. His face turned and the most surprising realities crashed down on him.

Adel was crying, hair falling into his face, his tiara broken. The knight stood unashamedly naked of Adel, and the sorceress flew back. "Don't touch me!" Adel cried out, placing his hands in front of him. Zell grinned. _Serves the bastard right_, he thought, working with his hands to free himself.

The knight turned to Zell. "Why did you bring me back?" he asked softly, and Zell felt confused.

"You…he…he raped you! Don't you want revenge?" Zell asked, completely confused. Adel was terrified, that was good, but the knight wasn't angry, that was bad. Zell watched in shock as the knight gave a smile and shook his head.

"I think the revenge was all his," the knight said sadly, moving in front of the purple-tinted man. "We were a pair, he and I. I _did_ love him, Zell, but I was weak." Adel's eyes closed in fear. "We entered Esthar together, but the crowd jumped him as they realized what he was, and I didn't even try to stop it." The knight's voice took on a sight choking sound. "I just watched as he was beaten, just watched as he approached death and I didn't stop it."

Zell fell silent. This seemed believable, this seemed sincere. Adel's power was afraid of the man, not wanting to be close to him and yet loving the knight all the same. Shame washed through Zell; he could see now where Adel's deep hatred came from, and it was an ugly moment in the man's life.

The knight continued, placing a hand on Adel's face, crying with him. "And I don't think we both thought of it as rape. I'd told him often that I loved him and yet I couldn't bring myself to comfort him, protect him when he needed it the most. So Adel tried to comfort himself with me- and I was too weak to even hold him anymore. It was a drastic overboard when he came, just crying and pulled out, ashamed of himself. It killed me, Zell, to stare into those eyes that used to be full of life and watch as I was responsible for the deadness in them. I was eaten by guilt and I took the easiest way out in front of him."

Zell wanted to cry, too, by this time. The lights were flickering overhead and the knight sat in front of Adel, showing no anger. "Oh, Adel," he whispered. "What have you done to yourself?"

Adel pulled away, looking at some interesting tube in the corner. "I hurt all over," he stated raggedly. "I just wanted you to come back, and when I found him… I thought he was you for a moment."

So getting the power had been based on appearance. Zell had never seen Adel this weak before, never this afraid. Adel continued. "And they still hate me. They still hate me and I kept thinking you were in the crowd, and that you hated me, too."

"I can't hate you, Adel," the knight whispered and Adel flinched at his touch.

"You went away. I just wanted to see you at night, I wanted nothing more than to listen to you breathe, but you went away and I couldn't fix you. I could do anything, I could make hair turn fire-red or my skin change color or my eyes turn to that shape of a monsters, but I couldn't fix you. And I hated them!" The shout rang out but only Zell winced. "I hated them for making you leave!"

The knight managed to pull Adel to him, and Adel didn't fight it. "I'm here, Adel. I'm here right now and you don't have to hate anymore."

Adel went into full-fledged sobs at that. It was so painful, here was his boy watching as the people who beat him early on came back to finish the job and now his knight was here. He was here, and Adel touched his arm, afraid he'd vanish. He hadn't thought of this boy brining life to the dead, he'd only thought of the boy as someone who looked similar and might be fun to toy with someday.

"I'm tired of existing," Adel confessed to his knight, looking up. Zell watched as his eyes slowly changed back into human ones. "I'm tired of existing where all I do is hurt. I thought I could fix these people, I could teach them what they've done wrong, but they just come back stronger."

"I know," the knight stated. "I know, Adel."

Adel gave a smile as the knight held him gently, coaxing all the hatred out of him. Zell shivered sadly. His own knight flickered in his mind. Adel stood, pulling his knight up with him. "I want to go to that place you've been," Adel told him. "It's all I've been thinking about recently." The knight started to speak and the legendary sorceress cut him off. "I want to go with you."

For once, the two looked somewhat happy. The knight shook his head. "Adel, you can't. It's not like I know where we're going; I've stayed here with you."

Adel started crying again, and this time his size diminished into something a slightly bit taller than Zell. The knight was the tallest of the three now. "I never hated you, Damien," the red-haired sorceress whispered, and this time the knight was crying, too. _Just upset._

This was pretty emotional, Zell thought, but he supposed twenty-some years could do that to people. He wasn't sure whose fault this was, the knight claimed fault and Adel was claiming fault and Zell wondered if he should just blame this all on Odine and make it better in his head.

Suddenly the chamber lit up with the lights and Adel looked at the man.

The knight whispered something to Adel, who nodded his agreement. With that, Adel summoned up his power and caused it to crash back down on the two, the bodies crumpling into dust. The power swirled around the pedestal, looking for its owner. When it realized Adel was gone it gave a small cry and plummeted into Zell, much more complete than it had been before. Zell's wrists were freed as he tensed, letting the power flow into him, along with Adel's last words.

_I hope it's as wonderful a gift as the chance you've given me._

Zell scratched the back of his head, unsure of if he should hate Adel or pity him. The knight was also an unsure. Zell shrugged and used his power to sense if Adel was still around.

The only thing Zell could pick up was a sheer and utter happiness. That, and a hissing sound. Zell spun to see the man in the window glaring at him, and Zell shook his head furiously.

The man nodded to show his difference of opinion.

"Damnnit!" Zell yelled, trying to unleash any fury of power he could muster, but it was a weak trickle. Bringing someone back to life had exhausted him, being in a sorceress fight had exhausted him, absorbing a power had exhausted him. The gases were slowly being absorbed by the rings around him and Zell glanced around worriedly. He could try the door-

Metal shackles appeared from the floor as the man spoke in a microphone. "No running, you sorceress bitch. This is for my daughter and my wife."

"I didn't kill them!" Zell yelled back, casting a protect on himself. There was sealant already at the edges. Vainly Zell struggled. The man chuckled and suddenly an explosion rocked the door. Zell watched as several SeeDs poured in; he waved in an attempt for help. The SeeDs didn't see him, however, the man was explaining something to them and they backed away. "No," Zell remarked, trying to slide his feet out of the restraints. He had one before the assistant picked up on it and trapped the other foot. Angrily Zell shouted at him and flipped him off, the SeeDs noticing.

The sealant was reaching the lower half of the pedestal. It was getting cold, Zell realized, wondering what his life would be like in space. Would there be a base to hold him, or would he drift into the moon, where the monsters would devour him? Zell suddenly felt like crying, but he wouldn't. He wasn't going to die if there was a chance to live.

Zell looked at the door, trying to beg the SeeDs but the assistant wasn't letting anyone through. A familiar trench coat caught his eye.

Seifer.

Zell struggled harder and Seifer looked at the console, talking to the man. "Seifer!" Zell yelled, and Seifer looked straight at him. Anger flared in his eyes and he punched the assistant as hard as he could, rushing into the door. The sealant was now at Zell's foot. Zell picked up the other one.

"Zell!" Seifer cried out, and Zell reached out to him.

"Seifer, you've got to get it to stop!" Zell shouted at him, the sealed foot suddenly going numb.

"The assistant won't give us the codes!" Seifer told him, rushing up to him. "Zell…"

"Squall broke something last time," Zell told him, the sealant climbing up his hips now. "Seifer…I…I love you, Seifer, please don't…" Seifer was gone, looking for whatever it was Squall broke. Hopefully Zell watched but his stomach was also going numb and he felt tired. Very tired.

He looked at Seifer who was ripping false cables out. The assistant had learned, Zell realized. He'd learned from what Squall had done last time. Seifer looked at one of the man tubes that connected straight to the ring. "I need my gunblade!" Seifer shouted to the blonde. "I need her badly!"

Zell bit his lip as he watched, the sealant taking one arm and Zell's eyes shut. He could almost feel what Adel had when Laguna watched. Was it this deep sadness? Was it thankfulness?

Barking met their ears as Angelo ran into the room, following Seifer. Seifer spun and Angelo deposited the gunblade in front of him, barking happily. Seifer hugged the dog before taking the blade and slashing the pipe as many times as he could, moving to the other side and doing the same thing. Angelo left as she learned the sealant gas hurt her nose. There were better things to sniff, like markers and chocolate.

The sealant gas rose to the ceiling and it faded slightly around Zell. The sorceress opened his eyes to find his knight in front of him, almost to tears.

"No crying," Zell told him. "I've seen enough for today."

Seifer ignored him and held him tightly, tears dropping into soft blonde hair. The knight was trembling as the assistant threw a fit at the commander who had just entered, his own sorceress at his side. Angelo bit the assistant on the arm, finding it a good chew toy.

"I almost lost you," Seifer whispered and Zell smiled, wondering if these powers were so bad. He'd found Seifer, after all, and maybe that was enough. "I don't want to loose you again, my sorceress."

Rinoa sighed and placed her head on Squall's shoulder, her face dreamy as Zell leaned up for a kiss and Seifer complied. "How come you never did that?" she asked and Squall rolled his eyes.

"Let's not get bogged down in why nots, I think I've made up for it." Squall sent the SeeDs on their way as the assistant unlocked the shackles, and Angelo sat happily on the man, her tail beating into his ribs.

"Not in public," Rinoa whined and Squall rubbed his nose.

"Not on a mission, Rinoa," he stated and she pouted.

The two blondes entered and Zell was almost sleeping on Seifer's arm. "We wanna go back," Seifer told him, and Zell shook his head sleepily.

"We need to go visit Odine," Zell responded darkly. "I think he's the source of all our troubles."

Squall nodded as Rinoa called off Angelo and they ran to a SeeD car. "Good to have you back, Zell. Adel's dead, then?"

"Yeah." Zell gave a weak salute as he let Seifer's arm guide him to the back seats. Squall sat up front with Rinoa and Angelo who gave him his kiss in public. "Maybe it's your lip gloss," Rinoa stated, smiling. Squall rolled his eyes yet again, but he smiled and leaned over the seat.

In the back of the van, things were not so steamy. Zell was simply laying down on Seifer's lap, trying to sleep with the blonde running his hands through his hair. It felt really, really nice. He sighed as turned face-up to watch his knight. "I don't hate Adel," Zell responded softly.

This perked Seifer's interest. "Why not?" he asked, simply curious.

"I think…some horrible things happened to him and I don't blame him for doing what he did. I mean, if you blew your face out in front of me, I'd damn well want revenge for whoever made you do that, too."

Seifer shook his head, kissing Zell lightly on the nose. "I wouldn't, Zell. I'm not going to leave your side."

"I know," Zell told him, eyes closing. "I know you wouldn't, 'cause I love you and you love me."

"That's right," Seifer responded as Zell fell asleep.

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The basement had changed. Zell noted there were no longer boxes or equipment, hiding scary things from the world. Instead, there were almost twenty tubes with liquid, and each carried things that looked like exploded flesh. Odine was passed out on the floor; Zell suspected Adel had been down here.

Seifer picked up a book Odine had, reading it. "His clones failed," he stated, "so he worked on DNA. He had three types, yours, Adel's and mine."

"Yours?" Zell asked, spinning around.

"That's how I gave you my choker," Seifer told him softly and Zell looked away. Before Zell could say anything, Seifer continued. "It says that he spliced their DNA like how a male and female have it, half of the chromosomes and so on."

Zell looked at them. "These were babies?"

Seifer nodded and Zell caught a faint pulse, running up to one in the corner. "This one's alive!" he shouted happily. The baby's eyes opened slightly, then closed again.

"What's the number, Zell?"

"C83-O-9," Zell read, touching the glass. "He's cute."

"He's ours," Seifer breathed. "That's our son." Zell watched as he rushed up to another one, and checked the book. "And this one, she's our daughter."

"So…are there any more?" Zell asked, watching as the baby sucked its thumb. It was cute, and the action brought out strong paternal instincts.

"No," came the reply. "Adel killed all of hiz, zaying they didn't dezerve to live like ziz." Odine rubbed his head. "Zey are my experiementz, and I will do what I want wiz zem."

Zell's eyes flashed and for a moment, all was still. In the next moment Odine lay, dead, and Seifer swore he heard an apocalypse from Zell. Zell swallowed, resting his head on the glass. "How did they age this fast?"

Seifer flipped through pages. "Haste, lots of them." Seifer looked at Zell. "What do you want to do?"

Zell closed his eyes. "This isn't fair," Zell stated. "I didn't ask to be a parent." Upon hearing his knight chuckle, he looked up. "What?"

Seifer stopped, draining out the liquid in the tube slowly. "You just protected them, my sorceress." He lowered the glass, picking up the baby girl while dropping the book and while detaching the cords keeping her on life-support. Rather than cry, she nuzzled into him. Such a sweet child, Seifer decided.

Zell did the same for the boy. "I guess… just there's not a lot of stuff I'll be able to do with you now."

"No wild sex, no drinking, no bondage, no porn, no parties, no missions away together…" Seifer stopped his thoughtful list, looking down at the girl. "No boyfriends," he told her sternly.

Zell picked up the boy and cradled it, though this one started to cry. "Shh," he whispered to it. "Papa's here," he cooed, bouncing the baby lightly. Seifer watched, rocking the girl as he moved over to his sorceress.

Zell handed his knight the boy as he reached down and ripped off a huge portion of his dress. Splitting that in two, he took the boy back and took a piece, wrapping the baby in it. "They must be cold," Seifer told him.

"I think so," Zell stated as Seifer wrapped the girl.

"Zell, they need a dispel or they'll continue aging faster than normal." Seifer watched as the last of Zell's unfatigued power cast the spell, replacing the hastes with protect and shell and wall and reflect. Seifer wasn't sure if the children really needed those, but said nothing as Zell sat wearily on the stair. It wasn't long before Seifer was there next to him, and Zell placed his head on his shoulder.

"You have names?" Seifer asked, and Zell shrugged. Seifer continued. "I think a good last name would be Dincht." Watching Zell's eyes, Seifer kissed him gently before explaining. "See, yours is an actual name from a family. Mine's just something I made up for entering Garden. Squall's the same way."

"Oh." Zell looked at the boy, watching as the boy gave hiccupping noises. "I like Damien for the boy." He kept the baby's head upright, struggling with his own tiredness. Seifer took the baby and held the two twins. "And I think the girl should be Dela."

The symbolism wasn't lost on Seifer as he kissed Zell lightly again. "You're so innocent," Seifer told him sadly. "No matter what happens to you, I think you always manage to forgive and forget."

Zell gave a smile. "I had a dream you said that. There was a wedding, and I was getting married to Adel, but you didn't want that, and so as a knight you took me away."

"No kidding?" Seifer asked, only slightly surprised. "That desperate to see me, Chicken?" Zell lightly hit Seifer's shoulder with his head.

"You're a jerk," Zell told him, drifting off to sleep. "But I love ya anyway."

"Love you, too," Seifer responded, watching as the three Dinchts fell asleep around him.

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End.

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That was the end. I wrote it listening to sad, sad songs. Thanks for staying with it. The original ending had just the knight killing Adel and Seifer and Zell walking off, but I couldn't see that anymore. It was one of those things that changed as I typed it. I wanted more depth to Adel, and I'm afraid I made him look a little wussy. I'm sorry for that.

Seifer and Zell's children weren't in the rough draft, and named Zeifer (m) and Sell (f) in the first draft, but that changed when I made Adel not so scary.

Thank you very much for reading my story!

-Delta


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